Things Change
by DemonDance
Summary: After being shot and nearly killed by Joker, Dick Grayson's life changes. When you lose your family and your identity, all you can do is evolve but what will you evolve into? The story of how a little Robin become the dark Nightwing. (Warning inside! Please Read them!)
1. Prologue

**Chapter One: Prologue**

A sharp pain was Robin's last memory. A sharp pain through the heart that then spread a numbing sensation throughout his body. But it wasn't the pain that worried him. The agonising ache as blood poured out from his chest and soaked his finger tips. Robin had learnt to deal with pain because it meant you were still living.

But numbness… that meant you were dying.

The world around him started to fade in colour. The ground seemed to be falling away from his feet when in reality he was the one falling. He didn't register Batman, his suddenly tired eyes only saw a shadow shifting and catching him.

He didn't feel the comforting arms holding him or a black cape covering him. He didn't hear Joker's cruel laugh or the thump of gun the smiling clown had discarded. Didn't smell the powder of gunshot in the air or taste the copper blood he was coughing up.

All that existed was the pain being submerged by a numb wave, dragging Dick under.

Until he woke up.

A steady reemergence to the world he thought he had fallen from. The beeping of monitors growing in sound as his senses came back to him. Bright lights causing his eye to scrunch up in protest. The dull thud of pain flowing through his chest as medication and drugs worked to keep the pain at bay.

But what really caught Dick's attention was the figure resting in the chair next to his medical bed. Eyes closed and breathing slow and deep. The frown that was forever present was deeper then usual, showing signs of worry and exhaustion. Bruce.

Bruce slowly came to from his brief oblivion as if sensing the younger boy's presence. The tired man quickly shook off the remnants of sleep upon seeing those blue eyes, breathing a sigh of relief. It took all of his will power to not hug Dick to his chest, instead he lay a gentle hand on his ward's.

The worst of it was over. Dick was going to survive. He was safe now. But a small voice started in Bruce's head that day. A small one that grew in certainty and volume. A thought lingering in Bruce's head. _Would Dick really be safe?_

Who knew that this one thought would lead to the inevitable death of Robin.

* * *

 _A.N. I know its a short chapter but they will get longer ;) First fanfic so please be kind xx Please read &review!_


	2. Recovery?

**Chapter Two: Recovery?**

 _(Several months have past and Robin has made an almost full recovery from surviving from the bullet wound.)_

Robin felt austious to be flying again. He had always been a hyperactive person, being static just felt unnatural to him and having been coped up in the Manor not being able to move around had been impossible for him.

Though Robin was human, his natural element was in the air. There he had no distractions or disturbing thoughts. All he needed was his natural ability and pure instinct.

Bruce, for some reason, had upgraded his usual overprotective daddy bats state to a whole new level. Instead of pushing Robin back into the field and encouraging him to push past the pain, Bruce had actually forced Dick to stay in bed weeks more than necessarily, but this hadn't stopped Dick from roaming the Manor as much as he could. What could he say? There were a lot of places Dick could hide from Bruce.

But now he was finally deemed field ready. Okay, no that was a lie. Due to the months of lying around literally watching wounds heal, Robin needed to get back into shape a little, but he was sure that could be cleared up with a few tough love sessions with Black Canary.

That was actually where he was heading now. Across Gotham's rooftops to the zeta-beams. Batman had wanted Dick to take the ones in the Batcave, but Robin had insisted he needed to stretch his legs for a bit.

And here he was now. Leaping, twirling, twisting and hurtling across the top of Gotham like the little robin that he was. He might have been putting a little more flourish then necessary but c'est la vie. Robin was a performer by birth. It was in his blood. Finally reaching the zeta-beam he jumped down onto the ground, and then stopped to catch his breath.

Robin was by no means unfit, but he was yet up to his usual stamina. _Yeah, better make that an extra long training session with Black Canary._ Dick moved off and through the zetabeams. As he arrived in Mount Justice the voice announced his arrival, "Robin BO1".

Robin was just about to start wondering were everyone was when he heard a massive crash from the kitchen, "Look at what you did Artemis! You knocked over all of Megan's cookies!" Robin chuckled to himself and started walking his way towards the voices.

"It's okay Kid Mouth, you can just eat them off the floor like you normally do". Robin arrived at the joint kitchen slash lounge. Aqualad was sitting in the far corner reading a book, while Connor was sitting watching static on the TV. Megan had just started to levitate the cookies up of the floor but she seemed confused on whether to put them back on the tray or throw them away.

Wally and Artemis were over at the side of the kitchen yelling at the top of their lungs at each other. 'God, they seriously just needed to realised they actually fancied each other and stop this insane, ritualistic flirting.'

Robin still remained unnoticed, smirking at the side. Everyone else was too absorbed with what they were doing to notice him. Many people had assumed that Robin could turn invisible due to his sudden appearances and disappearances but the truth was it was 60% skill and 40% people not paying enough attention to their surroundings.

With this in mind, Robin silently walked over and sat next to Connor.

Robin knew he was good but he was still surprised that Connor was so focused on the TV that he still hadn't register him. Artemis and Wally must have been yelling for ages because Superboy only got like this when he really needed to give his hearing a rest, one of the downfalls of super-hearing. (Watching and listening to static helped Superboy dull all his senses.)

Robin turned to watch the static as well, but after a few seconds he got bored and decided it was time to announce his presence. "Anything else on?" he asked, as he casually raised his feet up on the coffee table in front of him.

Superboy was not one to be surprised and he would never scream like Wally did, but thats what made this moment all the more priceless.

At the sound of Robin's voice, and as far as Superboy was aware his sudden appearance, Connor launched him self off the couch and halfway across the room in shock. Kaldur also rose to his feet believing an attack was occurring, Megan quickly dropped the levitating cookies back on to the ground and Wally and Artemis suddenly stopped their bickering.

At the silence in the room, Robin slowly turned his head to look at them, a wide grin on his face. "Well, thats a whelming way to be greeted back. What do I have to do to make it overwhelming? Get shot?".

Wally superspeeded over to his friend and engulfed him in a huge bear hug. Dick laughed at his friend's reaction, they had seen each other in the months previous. Soon though Megan joined the hug happy that Robin had returned.

Once those two were content they had squeezed the life out of Robin enough, Aqualad place a hand on his shoulder. Aqualad wasn't one to hug so this simple gesture was actually a huge sign of respect and friendship for him. Robin beamed a smile at him to show his appreciation for the gesture. Robin's gaze then turned to Superboy who stood a little away. Superboy merely grunted, and Robin was happy to accept that much from him.

"How are you feeling Robin? We heard your injuries were great", Aqualad's deep voice spoke with concern.

"Yeah it was bad for a bit but you know me I always bounce back" Robin replied not wanting to go into detail.

Aqualad seemed as if he was going to speak again but he was interrupted, "Black Canary 12". This announcement received a groan from Wally but they all made their way to the training room, were Black Canary waited.

She stood tall with her hands plastered on her hips and a gentle smile on her face, "Good to see you back Robin. Have you been cleared for training?" Robin smiled back, "Yep. Eager for a challenge". Black Canary fixed him with a gaze to see if he was lying, but she nodded her head in acceptance of his statement. Batman must have given her the go ahead. "Good. Robin and Superboy you're up".

* * *

Superboy was a bit surprised when Black Canary called up him and Robin, but shrugged it off. He had learnt to trust her and her judgment. If it wasn't for Black Canary, Connor knew he wouldn't have improved like he had. Not that he would every admit that.

Connor walked over to the computerised training mat and stood at the opposite end facing Robin. "Begin" Canary announced and Connor launched across the room, shortening the distance between Robin and himself.

Connor went to deliver a punch but kept it in mind to keep his strength in check. He didn't want to end up hurting Robin. Before Superboy even had a chance to deliver his blow; Robin had run up to him and jumped high, planting his feet on Superboy's shoulders and used them as a launch pad to spring up into the air and complete a full summersault landing graciously onto the ground. Letting a cackle out while doing so.

Superboy turned round and tried to keep his anger in check. He might have improved on his anger but he still was working on it.

The older teen launched a similar attack again and Robin seemed to be trying the same manoeuvre as before but at the last minute instead of jumping up, he slid to the floor and let the momentum carry him underneath Superboy. Robin then jumped up behind and delivered a round house kick to his back sending Superboy stumbling forward.

Superboy let out a growl of frustration, but he took a deep breath and tried to focus. He wasn't the same animal he was when he arrived here. He had learnt that to win any fight you needed a strategy. Thinking back to something Black Canary had taught him. He faced back to Robin and the two slowly started circling.

Quickly realising that Robin was quite happy to let this circling continue, being one more for dodging and weaving around an opponent then attacking head on, Superboy decided to launch another attack in his usual style. He went to strike Robin with his left arm aiming for his head. Robin went to dodge but Superboy quickly changed his tactics and delivered a solid punch to Robin's chest.

Robin went flying across the room and crashed into the wall behind. Superboy had delivered the punch with more force then he realised but still no where near his full strength.

Superboy was stunned. He had never landed a hit on Robin in training. No one had. The room went deadly silent.

Robin fell to the ground and landed a little less gracefully than normal. His breathing slightly wheezy. "Nice… hi…. hit" Robin faintly said, flashing Connor a faint smile. Black Canary was quickly at Robin's side hushing him and checking him over, "I'm taking him over to medical bay" she said quickly.

As the two left Superboy turned back to his other companions, all slightly opened mouthed about the fact that Robin had been hit. That never happened.


	3. Sticks and Stones

**Chapter Three: Sticks and Stones**

Robin had finally been let out of medical bay once Black Canary was satisfied he was okay. His chest was slightly bruised but Robin had experience far worse. Actually in his opinion this didn't even count as an injury.

Robin was walking back to the kitchen to get a glass of water when he heard the hushed sounds of conversation and quickly decided to stick to the shadows to see what his team mates were talking about.

"I didn't hurt him" Superboy grunted out as if defending himself. Megan had her arms wrapped protectively around him, as if shielding him from the others.

They were all facing towards each other and either reclining on couches or standing. Robin realised that he was the topic of conversation, not that he was really surprised. "Oh yeah, well it looked like it bloody well hurt. You, the boy of steel, punched him right in the chest."

"I barely used any of my strength." Superboy defiantly said back, "I never use my strength against Robin, he's too weak." Robin was a taken a back by this. He always thought Superboy and him fought on fair grounds.

Robin was starting to think about voicing his opinion and alerting the group to his presence but Wally spoke up, "What do you mean you hold back? Have you always done this?" Wally seemed shocked enough for Robin and Robin was glad his best friend had spoken up for him. "No just recently." Connor mumbled out, "I've been getting a lot stronger recently and Robin… hasn't".

Robin was once again shocked at what Superboy was saying. He might have been more focused on the fact that this might have been the most vocal Superboy had ever been, if it wasn't for what he was currently saying. Robin retreated further into the shadows to make sure the others didn't see him. Letting his cape fall over his shoulders to better conceal him. He wanted to see where this conversation was leading to.

Wally seemed angered by Superboy, "Well sorry he's still recovering from being shot" his voice dripping with sarcasm. But before Superboy could reply Megan jumped in, "Hey don't be rude to him" Megan shot back defensively, "It's not his fault Robin is only human".

"What's that supposed to mean?" Artemis spoke up, her finger twitching as if wanting to reach for her bow.

"Robin's a human trying to fight meta humans or aliens. I don't mean to be mean, but at the end the day Robin's only a little kid." Megan spoke uncharacteristically confidently, like she truly believed what she was saying. Robin's eyes widened at this realisation.

"Well, what am I? Chopped liver?" Artemis retorted back, getting more and more worked up and looking to slap Megan right across the face. "No…" Megan was about to start but was swiftly interrupted by Aqualad, the usual voice of reason. "Artemis you know that is not what Megan was trying to say." He spoke softly but with authority which somehow seemed to sooth everyones raising anger. "Robin is a valued member of this team" Robin sighed for a brief moment feeling the slightest bit of reassurance. But that quickly faded again.

"However…" no not however, however was always disastrous heavy on the dis. "…what I believe Megan is trying to say is that the type of confrontational fighting Robin does, seems to be more of a danger to him then it may need to be".

"What the hell are you on about?" Wally quickly snapped defending his friend. But Aqualad merely shifted his gaze to meet Wally's. "Artemis mainly uses long range weapons for offensive and defensive attacks, Superboy is immune to most things, Megan and I have different physicality's due to being from different species and you Wally…"

"Run away from any fight" Artemis pipped in only to be silenced by Aqualad's stare and shuffled her feet slightly in discomfort. Aqualad carried on, "… while Robin has no extraordinary human qualities. He is the best hacker we have and he's a good fighter but only by human standards."

Robin couldn't believe what his team were saying about him behind his back. Well… they weren't saying it behind his back but they didn't know that. Robin listened as he was basically being called a glorified tech support. Robin wanted to say something but at the same time he didn't want his friends to know that he had heard them.

"Hey thats not true, Robin can totally kick ass on his own. He has been doing this for longer than any of us." Robin couldn't have been happier that his friend was still defending him. At least one person had his back.

"Yeah but how many times do you make sure he's okay on a mission?" Surprisingly this came from Artemis.

"What the hell! I thought you were on Team Robin" Wally sent a hate fuelled stare and Artemis rose to the challenge, "But it's true isn't it. How many times have you been distracted on missions cause you wanted to make sure the boy wonder hadn't been hit too hard." This seemed to pause Wally and Robin heart sank a little.

He had no idea that his team was so protective of him. That they were distracted by his presence so much. Maybe that's why all their missions somehow always seemed to blow up in their faces. Robin wanted to leave the room and pretend he had never heard any of this but his feet stayed planted; part of him wanting to know what his team truly thought of him.

The others had fallen into silence for a bit, either looking at one another or down at the floor. Like they had all reached the same realisation. Megan was the one who voiced it, "Robin's great but at the end of the day… he's only human."

The way she said human sounded almost like she really said liability. Robin's heart sank. He had no idea that he was such a burden on the team.

Before anything else could be said, the computer voice rang out "Batman 02" across the cave. Great, they had a mission.


	4. Part 1: The Mission

**Chapter Four: The Mission Part 1**

Batman had briefed them on the mission to infiltrate a skyscraper and retrieve information from the data base. The team had been worried Robin wasn't fit enough to come along but he insisted he was fine and made the argument none of them could barely turn on a computer much less get through the firewalls and security settings the thing might have. In the end it was Black Canary who made the final call saying Robin was fit for duty.

The team could tell something was wrong with Robin. A heavy and uncomfortable tension had fallen inside the bioship and the team weren't really sure why Robin was acting this way, being unaware that he had overheard their conversation about him.

Aqualad had inquired if Robin was okay but all he got in response was a clipped "fine". He could sense everything was not fine but chose not to linger on it as he had a mission to worry about.

Ten minutes out from the building they were about to infiltrate, Aqualad explained his plan. "From Batman's information, we will have to be vigilant as the building has nightly patrols. Batman has advised to knock any guard unconscious to make it appear as if a robbery has taken place to avoid any suspicion that we were the true culprits. Megan will be on the roof keeping the mindlink up and the bioship on stand by. Kidflash you will identify the position of all guards and direct Artemis and I on where to locate and detain them. Superboy you will be look out as Robin gets the files."

The team nodded as each one heard their roles. "Right, mind link up. Lets go".

* * *

A sword plunge into a security's guards chest, quickly silencing him before he could alert anyone. Deathstroke stared blankly down at the now dead body and the pooling of blood and sighed out of boredom.

Slade took many contracts for various different reasons, but that did not mean he enjoyed them all. Recently nothing seemed to have presented a challenge. He was hired to steal government secrets. Easy. He was hired to kill a politician. Easy. He was hired to secretly ransom a prince back to his own country. Pitifully easy. And Slade Wilson was bored.

The only reason he took contracts now was because they mildly distracted him. He didn't need the money and he didn't need to build up a reputation. He had both in spades.

He knelt down next to the security guard and swiped his key card, not before wiping his sword along the dead body to clean it.

Wilson had previously considered taking on an apprentice to see if that would amuse and distract him, but frankly the sample pick was less then desirable. Many of them were imbeciles. People that could only pull a trigger and he needed a sharp mind to mould. The people with sharp minds could barely lift a gun never mind kill someone with it and therefore would never last the life of a mercenary.

The League of Shadows held some good contenders but in the end none of them had held his attention for long enough. Either too far gone to be sculptured into the perfect mercenary or too young to know that they didn't have the stomach for this type of life style.

He did briefly consider bargaining with the Court of Owls for one of their Talons, but their so called impressive serum that kept them alive, allowed Talons to be easier defeated by simply turning down the temperature, thus destroying any potential one of them may have held.

Slade had turned his focus briefly to the superhero community. It would present an interesting challenge for Slade to break and recreate a hero in his image, but in the end they too had too many flaws that were easily exploited.

The Martians and Atlantan's could be taken down with a little heat.

The speedsters relied too heavily on speed and food to get them out of any crises.

The idea of the clone of Superman had sparked his interest, but that too proved to be a failure. It was also ridiculous that something that held that much power could be taken down by a piece of space rock.

No, Deathstroke wanted a human. For though seemingly weak, if you built up a human enough they were hard to take down because they had no easy exploits. But so far, none had proven themselves worthy of his time.

So this had left Wilson to resign from his idea of an apprentice and try to think of other ways to engage himself for a while, but this job was proving as easy and as boring as the rest.

As Wilson was about to make his assent to one of the top floors his gauntlet blinked a red light at him. Wilson brought up the feed of the cameras he had placed on the roof to alert him if there was any movement. Upon seeing the who was there, he let out a small smile.

Looks like it wasn't going to be a wasteful night after all.

* * *

The team split off once they landed on top of the building. Robin quickly brought up his holo-computer and located the computer he needed. He gave Superboy a nod of his head, indicating to follow him. Robin would have normally just vanished once they arrived but unfortunately Robin had a partner on this mission.

Superboy followed Robin inside and down a floor. The computer they needed was located in the main office of the building. Robin walked down the hall with Superboy trailing behind him looking for any security workers.

Robin pushed open the double doors that led to a grand office with plush carpets, a big oak desk and… wait were those elephant tusks? Great not only was this guy doing something shady but now he was supporting the hard working careers of poachers.

Robin rolled his eyes, realising that this man who owned this office had an inflated sense of ego and needed to be brought down a few levels. Hopefully this would do it. He strode over to the desk and pulled out a wire in his gauntlet and connected it to the computer.

"Aqualad it'll take me 2 and a half minutes to get the files." Robin spoke through the mind link, "Okay Robin" Aqualad acknowledged back.

"Wow, two and a half minutes. Robin you're losing your touch" Wally teased through the mind link hoping to lighten his best friend's mood. Unfortunately it didn't work as Robin just sternly replied with no tone of humour in his voice, "The extra 30s seconds is just for good measure".

"Jeez whats Boy Wonders problem?" Artemis said. Even though the team were floors apart, everyone heard a pin drop at the now really awkward silence that had descended. Artemis let out an 'oops' having forgotten the others could read her mind, but Robin chose to ignore all of this and just focus on getting the task done.

Robin continued to tap away on the key board, almost laughing at how bad the security was on it. He had quickly located the files and was now downloading them. This was the bit that was going to take a while due to the sheer volume of them.

Superboy stood awkwardly at the door feeling out of place in such a lavish room. Also because of a certain little bird.

Superboy wasn't really one to talk about things. Punching was more of his thing. But Megan believed it worked, so once Superboy had racked up enough nerve he asked "Robin are you okay?"

Robin didn't even bother looking up from the screen even though he was just looking at the percentage bar slowly increase. 43%. "I'm fine" he responded

' _Great'_ Superboy thought. Out of all the question he could have asked he pretty much asked the stupidest question to ask to try and get someone to open up. But hey Connor was new at this. So he tried again, "Are you sure you not mad at me?"

Robin briefly looked up but then looked back to the computer screen, 44%. Oh my god why was this taking so long. "You didn't do anything wrong," Robin replied tight lipped and making it clear it was the end of the conversation.

Before Connor had a chance to press further Wally's voice sounded in all of their heads, "Guys I just found a body. A dead body. And from what I can tell only recently dead."

This news sent a shiver down everyones spines. They all might have been exposed to a little bit of death in one way or another but by no means where they okay or use to murder. Out of all of them Robin was the only one to witness it the most often.

"Everyone keep your eyes open but do not engage. We have no idea who the threat is but they are obviously dangerous. Start heading back to the roof. Robin…." Aqualad was cut of mid sentenced and the mind link suddenly vanished. They could no longer feel anybody else's presence in their minds. Something must have happened to Megan.

"Megan… Megan…." Superboy's said, his voice raising in volume each time. "What happened?!" Superboy said out loud to no one in particular but Robin nevertheless answered. "Who ever killed the guard, is coming after us and took out our communications. First tactic when attacking a group."

Superboy did not seem soothed by Robin's cool logic. But right now Robin didn't care, they needed to find out what was happening. And fast. Robin looked down at the download. 47%.

 _Are you fricken kidding me!_


	5. Part 2: Meet Paralysed and Injured

**Chapter Five: Part 2 - Meet Paralyzed and Injured**

Wally was nervous and jumpy. All horror movies started like this. Big creepy building in the middle of the night with lots of glass windows: checked. Scary, unknown force trying to kill them all: checked. Loss of communication from the out side world: checked. Loveable, goofball gets killed first: unconfirmed?

Wally was about to superspeed to the roof to see if Megan was okay when he saw something metallic and… sharp? That was flying right at his head!

Wally ducked at the last minute and narrowly avoided the flying-death-star-thing - Okay Kid Flash was a speedster not a ninja, he didn't know what to call it - letting out a high pitched screech.

Wally quickly scanned the room to see where the thing came from. But before he knew it he felt an arm snake around his neck and something pinch his arm. He looked down and saw a needle.

Wally's heart increased but he felt all of his energy drain out of his muscles and then become stiff and un-responding. Crap, must have be some sort of paralysing agent. Most things Kid Flash's body burnt through quickly, but paralysing agents weren't one of them as they had a direct effect on slowing his metabolism.

Kid Flash felt himself fall to the floor and land with a satisfying thud. Out of the corner of his eyes all he saw was a black and orange masked figure.

Loveable, goofball; down.

* * *

Artemis was making her way back to the rooftop. Arrow in bow ready to fire. She was heading towards where the stairs and elevator were when she suddenly heard a scream coming from further down the hall.

Artemis ran towards the sound without a second thought. When she arrived in the room she found Kid Idiot lying on the floor, "Now is really not the time for a nap Bay Watch" she muttered and made her way over to him.

She quickly checked his pulse and found it beating, and creepily enough his eyes open. Artemis quickly scanned over the body looking for what might of caused this. Her eyes finally found what they were looking for and she snatched up a small needle that was stuck in his arm. _'Great'_ , she thought when suddenly another thought hit her, _'the killer was properly still in the room.'_

At this thought she felt a slight shift in the air behind her and she quickly turned around and fired an arrow at the intruder. He dodged it with ease and ran towards her. She continued to fire arrows but surprisingly not one of them hit their mark.

As the killer neared he pulled out a shrunken and threw it at Artemis. A resounding snap was heard as it sliced through her bow string. Before Artemis knew it, he was upon her. Artemis used the handle of the bow frame to block the blow from the sword the intruder had pulled out. A clear audible clang was heard as the sword made contact with Artemis's bow. It continued to push downwards towards Artemis's head.

The green archer pushed back using all the strength she could muster, but this man was much stronger then she was. Focusing to much on the blade that was coming towards her head she didn't notice the smaller knife in the man's other hand that slashed deeply across her exposed stomach.

Artemis inhaled sharply at the new fresh pain and stumbled a little backwards though still mindful of Wally though she stood defensively in front of him.

Strangely though, the man didn't make a move to again shorten the distance between them. He merely observed her. While he was inspecting her she took it as her chance to get a good look at him. She had been a bit distracted before with the sword trying to split her in half.

The man before her wore an all black armour with sections of grey around the joints of the knees, shoulders and elbows. Slim strips of orange lined sections of the protective armour. He had a utility belt on with multiple compartments and also had two gun holsters securely attached to each hip. He carried one of his swords in his hand and had another one across his back.

But the most prominent feature was his mask. It was a sturdy fabric that perfectly concealed his face and made it impossible to read any facial expressions. It was split right down he middle; one half orange and the other half black. On the black side there was no eye.

Artemis hadn't realised that he was circling her. Her back was now facing the door and the stranger was no longer in her way to reach it. All she needed to do now was figure out how to get Wally out of here and to the elevators.

As if reading Artemis's mind, the mysterious man let a malicious glint show in his eye. "I'll give you thirty seconds". Artemis was shocked by his voice. She hadn't expected him to speak. Was this a game to him? But before she could ponder this further he let out a deep sigh and spoke again, "29…".

Artemis didn't wait another second, she threw done her broken bow and grabbed an arrow and clicked it onto a different setting, a blue light came on. She threw it towards the stranger and grabbed Wally's upper arms. As she dragged him out of the room she heard the hiss of her arrow and saw a thick grey smoke coming out of it.

She continued to struggle down the hall, with the dead weight that was Wally West. Reaching the elevator doors, she quickly hit the 'up' button. No way was she going to make it up the stairs and there was no where to hide and she didn't like her odds against the masked man.

Luckily she didn't have to wait long and heard a ping as the elevator doors opened. Just as she was making her way inside she saw a figure exit the smoke filled room. Guess her time was up.

Just as the elevator doors were closing, the man threw the smaller knife at her. Artemis didn't see it but she heard a twang and looked to her left to see the knife wobbling in the space next to her head.

The elevator doors closed and started to make their climb upwards. Artemis dropped Wally and slid down the wall she was leaning against. She looked at Wally's unmoving figure, her breathing loud and heavy, "Next time… you're… carrying… me."

* * *

 _A.N: In case you wanted to know what Slade looks like, I took his appearance based of 'Flashpoint". Check it out on youtube its an awesome clip to demonstrate why Slade is awesome. Hope you enjoy!_

watch?v=c6_MpYEvMMM _\- Deathstroke and Lex Luthor VS Aquaman's Pals_

 _Love reading your comments so please review!_

 _Until next time xx_


	6. Part 3: Encounter

**Chapter 6: Encounter**

"What's taking so long?" Superboy grunted out, constantly looking from Robin to the door. Robin knew he was worried about Megan but he could only make technology go so fast. Superboy stalked over to Robin and slammed his hands against the desk out of frustration, "Hurry up or you could get her killed!"

Robin's head snapped up and he levelled a bat glare at Superboy, "I'm only human" his voice dripping with anger. Superboy seemed a bit taken aback by this comment but not enough to distract himself from the rising anger and panic.

"I'm not waiting any longer" Superboy stormed across the room towards the open door. But before he could reach it, a dark figure appeared in the door way momentarily pausing Superboy. A deep, rich voice sounded across the room, "Leaving so soon?" it asked.

This man reeked of danger and both boys immediately tensed up knowing this was the mysterious killer in the building. The man stepped into the light and once Robin saw the unique style of mask; one word escaped his lips, "rahat", slipping into his native tongue by accident.

Robin knew exactly who this man was. His record showed that no one had ever taken him down and he never failed a contract. If he had, no one ever spoke about it or could no longer speak about it.

Deathstroke narrowed his gaze to Robin with an amused look in his eye. Not many people talked Romani but it wasn't hard to deduce what Robin had said.

The room was still. Until Superboy's anger finally snapped and he let a roar rip from his throat. He hulled him self at Deathstroke at incredible speed letting out a flurry of punches, but not a single one made its mark.

Deathstroke dodged each one them with ease and precision. Almost like he knew what Superboy was going to do next. Superboy let out a growl for not being able to pound out his frustration, but he carried on with his vicious attack. However on one of his punches aiming for the assassin's head Superboy over balanced and fell forward.

Deathstroke used this to his advantage and tripped Superboy up further by simply sticking out his leg. It was a bit humiliating, using a trick that a 12 year old school bully might use on a playground. But Deathstroke finished it off with an elbow to the back of Superboy's head sending him crumpling to the floor.

"I would advise you stay down" Deathstroke said, aggravating Superboy more. The clone now launched his second attack with revised energy.

Robin wanted to help but unfortunately he was at the whim of the slow computer as he needed to stay attached to it to receive all the information. But Robin had another thought. Deathstroke was here for a reason. A contract. Chances were that he needed the files on the computer too.

With this realisation, Robin quickly brought up his holo computer and wrote a virus to wipe out all information that the computer had and fry the system so nothing could be recoverable. Once completed he sent it to the computer and set it up so the virus would only activate after the files he needed were uploaded.

He looked back up to where Superboy and Deathstroke were at. Superboy was not doing well. Though he had no physical marks on him Robin could tell he was not fairing well. He was slightly out of breath and sweaty and Deathstroke hadn't even pulled out a weapon yet.

Superboy, growing more tired and desperate, charged again at Deathstroke with no real plan in mind. Deathstroke seemed unfazed by the solidly built Kryptonian heading towards him. Once Superboy was close enough, Deathstroke ran towards him too but at the last minute leaned forward and planted his shoulder firmly into Superboy's stomach. Superboy flipped over Deathstroke's back and landed on the floor, cracking it with the momentum he had gained.

Deathstroke looked down at Superboy. If Robin didn't know better he would say he looked… bored? Then before Robin knew it the assassin had pulled out a gun and quickly place a special green bullet in it and shot it deep into Superboy's thigh.

Superboy yelled from the shock and excruciating pain. The bullet was now slowly releasing kryptonite into Superboy's bloodstream.

"No!" Robin yelled and Deathstroke turned his head to face Robin, clearly entertained by Robin's reaction. The smaller boy looked back down at the computer screen, "100% uploaded". _Finally!_

Robin quickly retracted the wire back into his gauntlet and jumped across the desk. Trying to figure out the best way to get to Superboy. But first he had to get passed the highly trained, deadly mercenary.

Robin and Deathstroke stood facing each other, observing one another. Robin allowed his cloak to fall over his shoulders to conceal his body. Robin tried to analysed the chances he had to get out of this situation alive. They weren't looking good.

Deathstroke was a top ranking assassin that Batman would struggle to take down and he wasn't against using lethal force. However, he hadn't used it on Superboy. He could have easily killed Superboy just now since he had a kryptonite bullet, but chose not to. This stood to reason that if Deathstroke had engaged any one else on the team, he had only wounded them. Suggesting he wanted to send a message of more humiliation and failure rather than annihilation. He obviously didn't want to bring the wrath of the Superhero community on to him.

Deducing this Robin assumed this lessened his chances of being killed. But being injured and maimed were still a likelihood. Robin quickly excepted the fact that he was going to be going through some pain in the next few minutes.

Robin's hands went to his utility belt taking out several smoke bombs and threw them on the ground. Hoping that Deathstroke was momentarily blinded he attempted to run over to Superboy. However Deathstroke had anticipated this and Robin saw the faint silhouette of an arm looking to drop him to the ground.

Robin quickly fell on his knees and slid underneath. He jumped up once he had cleared the arm, and decided he wasn't going to get to Superboy any time soon. That only left Robin with one option, he knew he had to distract Deathstroke until someone else got to the room.

Robin sent a silent prayer that someone from his team would find them soon.

The boy wonder took out three bird-a-rangs and threw them towards Deathstroke while running toward him as well. One for the knee, one for the shoulder and one for the face. Deathstroke deflected two of them, but the one heading for his shoulder made its mark.

Using the assassin's surprise and distraction from being hit; Robin jumped as high as he could and flipped over the assassins head. Once landed on the other side, he delivered a round house kick to Deathstroke's upper back sending the assassin forward. However, the power of that kick would have sent most people sprawling on the floor. This made Robin worry about his chances. That was a powerful move but it had barely made any difference.

The mercenary turned around to face Robin with a please look in his eye and slowly went to pull out one of his swords from his back. Crap. Robin's chances of avoiding getting seriously injured just plummeted to zero.

Robin's gaze fell back on to Superboy. He just needed to distract Deathstroke long enough for him.

Robin returned to gaze to the problem at hand and saw the shiny, metallic sword swinging towards to his head. Robin quickly ducked and remained on the floor in a crouch and swiped his leg across the floor to knock off Deathstroke. But the assassin merely jumped over it.

The next few minutes were some of the hardest of Robin's life. Robin had been limited to going on the defensive due to Deathstroke pulling out his weapon. So Robin was reduced to flipping and dodging out of harms way.

Robin pulled out another bird-a-rang and threw it towards Deathstroke, this one having a small explosive charge in it, but it missed its target and exploded into the window leaving behind a web of cracks.

Deathstroke went to lunge at Robin again. Robin countered this by summersaulting over Deathstroke's head. However Robin felt a sharp pain travel along his back to his shoulder. This left Robin to land less then gracefully and having to roll out of his jump.

Robin returned his gaze to Deathstroke, "Never use the same move twice. You'll start to become predictable" Deathstroke's velvety voice spoke and it grated on Robin's nerves. He did not want to be coached through this fight and definitely not by Deathstroke.

Robin just replied, "Thanks for the advise…" trying not to let Deathstroke see how much he had unnerved him or the pain that now blossomed across his back. Robin withdrew an ice pellet from his utility belt, but instead of aiming it at Deathstroke as he might have expected, he threw it on the floor creating an icy strip. Robin used this as a slide towards Deathstroke.

At the last minute Robin fell to the floor, narrowly avoiding the assassin's sword and pulled out his jump cord and fired it at said sword. It wrapped securely around the sword and was yanked from Deathstroke's hand as Robin continued to slide underneath him.

Robin sprang up, sword now in hand and used its pommel to strike into the back of Deathstroke. This sent Deathstroke forward a couple of steps but he quickly recomposed himself. He turned around so the two were facing each other again.

Robin swore if Deathstroke hadn't had his mask on he would almost think he was smiling.

Robin looked down to the sword in hand and quickly calculated his odds. Though he had trained a little with a sword he knew he was not up to par with Deathstroke's standards. He was more likely to get disarmed. With this in mind he quickly threw the sword across the room where it buried itself deep into the tusks of the elephant. Taking it out of play effectively.

While doing this he also made his way across to Deathstroke again and sent a combination of punches and kicks towards him. Each one was effectively blocked. It was infuriating. Robin would aim a kick towards the knee, Deathstroke would block with both hands. Robin would send a punch to the head, Deathstroke would block with this forearm and then send Robin toppling back.

On one of Robin's attempts to attack the mercenary he sent his left hand flying towards Deathstroke but the masked man caught it. "Wrong move" Robin's eyes widened at Deathstroke's words and then watched helpless as he quickly and precisely twisted Robin's hand, effectively snapping most of his fingers.

Robin reeled backwards, now clutching his injured hand towards his chest. It was completely useless. The only benefit that Robin had was that he had suffered from this type of injury before, so he knew how to cope with the pain. But that didn't mean it didn't really hurt and it didn't better his odds in helping him in this situation.

Robin retreated as far away from Deathstroke as he could but unfortunately he was soon up against a wall. He needed a miracle at this point.

Luckily, that miracle arrived as an Atlantian named Aqualad. Robin let out a deep sigh of relief upon seeing him but then quickly evaded the punch that was heading for his head. Robin ducked under the arm and was able to get behind the assassin.

Keeping his balance on the balls of his feet he shouted across to Aqualad, "Get Superboy to the bioship now!" There was no mistaking the authority in Robin's voice and Aqualad quickly recognised Superboy must have been seriously injured. However Aqualad hesitated and Robin saw it out of the corner of his eye.

"Now!" Robin yelled again while using the still icy floor to his advantage, skidding across it and jumping over the oak desk to act as a barrier from the mercenary.

Aqualad struggled picking up Superboy due to his size and opted for half dragging him across the floor and out the room.

Robin was quickly forced to leave his position from behind the desk as Deathstroke jumped over it, completely uninterested by the presences of Aqualad.

Once Robin saw them leave safely he tried to think of a plan out of here. However he allowed him self to become too distracted and Deathstroke seized the opportunity. He sent a powerful kick to Robin's right shoulder that had Robin toppling over, aided by the ice on the floor. But before Robin could hit the ground Deathstroke grabbed Robin's neck with one hand.

Robin tried loosening the grip with his hands but it was too strong. Robin looked at the killer in front of him and a shiver went down his spine. "Though this has been an impressive display of resilience. I'm afraid our fun ends here."

Deathstroke's grip tightened around Robin's neck and his other hand gripped Robin's shoulder painfully.

Robin was hurled across the room towards the already cracked window. He felt the searing pain as his back broke through the window and he fell towards the high street.

The next few moments, the small boy used no higher cognition. Just pure instinct and muscle memory. His hand reached for his grappling hook. He took it out and fired. It secured it self to the roof top and Robin felt his body change directory towards the building.

As he crashed into the building and heard his shoulder popping out of place, it forced one word to escape from his lips.

"Owww…."

* * *

Deathstroke stretched the muscles in his arms as he walked over to the computer. The fight had been highly entertaining for him. The boy had proven him self to be more of a threat then he appeared.

He had thought on his feet, fairly effectively analysed his opponent and changed tactics significantly well. However there was room for improvement.

His stamina needed further working on and strength built up. Though his aerobics were impressive but he relied on them too much making his fighting predictable over time. Also his so called weapons were merely toys putting him at a disadvantage.

But still, he held potential.

Wilson quickly cleared his head of Robin and focused on the task at hand. Getting the files he needed from the computer. Wilson went to open the computer but it only came up with static. All files and systems had been wiped clean.

"Clever boy."

* * *

Robin ran along the side of the building while the jump cord pulled him up, attempting to keep the pressure off his dislocated shoulder. Once he reached the roof top he climbed over the side and scanned the area.

He saw Megan on the floor. Robin quickly ran over to her and checked her pulse. She was alive, just unconscious and probably had a concussion.

No one else was there on the roof. That was until the roof door burst open and a wheezing Artemis pulled along an unmoving Kidflash. Robin rushed over to and checked them over.

Robin registered that Wally's eyes were open but the rest of him was unmoving, suggesting he had been paralysed. His concern was more for Artemis though whose stomach was now completely covered with red sticky blood. Robin was worried she could soon suffer from blood loss if not treated.

Robin moved to the other side of Kidflash and took half of his weight. They started to make their way over to the bioship but then a soft thud was heard from across the roof top. In the next moment, Deathstroke appeared.

"Get Wally in the bioship and Megan if you can" Robin said slowly detaching himself from Wally, keeping his eyes on Deathstroke. "Robin you can't…" Artemis began but was quickly interrupted, "Do it now Artemis".

Artemis grumbled but slowly started to move off. Though Robin had the most injures out of the two, Robin knew how to fight with them better.

Robin took a defensive stance in front of his injured team. His objective now was to keep Deathstroke well away from his team. Deathstroke saw this, "Why don't we make this easier? Just give me the files and I'll leave you all alone to learn from this experience".

Robin gritted his teeth, frustrated with the confidence this man held. But he took a deep breath and relaxed his body a little, trying to show this man was not getting to him. "Sorry are you having some technical difficulties today?", Robin asked finishing it off with a cheeky smirk.

Deathstroke's eye narrowed and he slowly pulled out his other sword. _Man, this guy really liked his scare tactics didn't he?_ But Robin wasn't going to be intimidated. So before Deathstroke had completely pulled his sword out Robin grabbed some bird-a-rangs and placed them in between each of his fingers in one hand.

In a flash, Robin threw them towards Deathstroke's hand. They made contact with the sword which went flying over the side of the building. Deathstroke looked highly unamused. Robin decided to play into this, "Sorry was that your favourite sword? Let me guess you named it too. Margret? Was it called Margret?". Robin said then released a cackle.

Robin saw Artemis out of the corner of eye slowly shaking her head. Robin knew he was being childish but if he could somehow get Deathstroke off his game slightly then it was worth it. He might stand a chance then.

Deathstroke started to run towards Robin and withdrew a throwing knife, hurling it at Robin's head. Robin quickly took out his bow staff from his utility belt and extended it. Robin finally had enough room to use it since the office was too small to use it effectively.

He blocked the throwing knife but instead of engaging Deathstroke, Robin did several leaps backwards to keep his distance. However Deathstroke gained ground quickly. Deathstroke swiped his leg underneath Robin, catching one of Robin's feet making him topple to his knees. As Robin attempted to stand back up onto both of his feet, he saw Deathstroke pull back his arm to deliver Robin a crushing blow.

Robin knew if he let this blow land he wouldn't be able to fight any longer. He was already in bad enough shape, so he quickly used his bow staff to help himself up and then launched himself in the air using Deathstroke's leg as a launch pad. While jumping upwards he collapsed his bow staff to it's smaller size and rammed it downwards in-between the assassins neck and shoulder.

Deathstroke actually fell to one knee mirroring the position Robin had been in seconds ago earlier. Robin used this time to quickly put some distance in between them.

Deathstroke seemed very surprised at this moment of weakness that Robin had inflicted on him. When he made eye contact again with Robin, Robin felt fear in the pit of his stomach. He knew Deathstroke was done playing games.

Deathstroke rose from his position and pulled out his gun at the same time and levelled it at Robin. Robin suddenly felt the memory of pain flaring through his chest from where he had been shot months before. He froze for the first time, unsure of what to do.

Just at the moment Robin expected the muzzle flash of the gun to go off, a small explosion came from an arrow that had impaled its self into Deathstroke's hand, sending him tumbling back.

Robin spared a quick glance back and saw Artemis standing next to the bioship, bow in hand. Robin smiled at her, but didn't waste the opportunity she had given him.

The explosion had sent Deathstroke back towards to edge of the rooftop. Robin extended his bow staff again and ran full force towards Deathstroke. A few feet away from the mercenary, Robin planted his bow staff into the ground and went soaring threw the air. He landed a powerful kick onto Deathstroke chest and watched as he went over the side of the building towards the street below.

Robin knew he hadn't killed Deathstroke and was proven right when Deathstroke pulled out his own jump cord to slow his descent to the sidewalk.

Robin heard the sound of a stiff door being opened again drawing his attention away. Stumbling out of the door came a slightly better looking Superboy and Aqualad with blood on his hands. Kaldur had taken the bullet out before carrying Superboy the rest of the way up.

They all shared looks with one another and made their way back to the bioship in silence. All too exhausted and injured to talk. Since Aqualad was the only one who remained unhurt he took control of the bioship, flying it back to Mount Justice.

Halfway through the journey, Artemis interrupted the silence, "Silver lining, we don't have to listen to Kid Mouth talk". They all shared a small smile at this.

* * *

Deathstroke looked up towards the roof from the street below and let himself have a small smile, "Guess I've found a worthy apprentice after all".

* * *

 _A.N. uh oh… love to know what you think!_


	7. Talks With Superman

**Chapter Seven: Talks With Superman**

Batman zeta-beamed into the mountain and moved with fluid grace towards the medical bay. To any one else's eye he looked calm and collected but to a trained eye they would notice the slight changes in his body language; like the rise in his shoulders or his lengthen stride, indicating that he was worried.

Batman's gaze focused in on Robin as he entered. Robin was sitting on the edge of the medical bed with his legs hanging over the side. Flash was wrapping bandages around his torso.

"Status," Batman growled. Flash jumped into the air not noticing the Dark Knights presence beforehand. Robin used this to his advantage and quickly jumped in, "Just a few bruised ribs and broken fingers. Nothing to worry about, I don't even need bed rest". Batman glared at Robin knowing that wasn't the full story. Robin was a good liar but Batman knew all his tells.

When Batman sensed Robin wasn't going to say anything else his gaze sharply turned to Flash, knowing he would quickly crack. And so he did, "He has some cracked rips, a shallow cut from his top right shoulder blade to middle the of his back, 3 broken fingers, a sprained wrist and a dislocated shoulder but Robin popped that back into place before he arrived back." The words quickly speeded out of Flash's mouth.

Robin felt like face palming at the point. Speedsters could never keep their mouths shut. Batman's gaze returned back to Robin. Robin stared back. Flash watched confused as the two had a silent conversation using a language that only a Bat could know.

Robin slowly lowered his gaze and got off the bed. Batman turned and walked out the room, followed by Robin. "Batman 02, Robin B01" sounded throughout the cave. Flash let out a long breath in relief and quickly sucked it back in as he forgot he left a paralysed Wally on a couch and quickly scampered out of the room to go and check on him.

But before he reached the lounge he heard a loud crash and Artemis yell, "I liked you better paralysed!"

Guess Barry didn't have to worry about his nephew after all…or maybe he did.

 _(Back at the Batcave)_

Batman walked over to the Batcomputer and started to pull up files. Robin walked into the changing rooms and quickly re-emerged as Dick.

He looked over at Batman and hesitated for a minute. Should he attempt to talk to him? He seemed more angry then usual. No, it wasn't anger… it actually looked more like… disappointment.

Dick's heart dropped. He knew he messed up tonight and could have saved himself a lot of pain but he needed to distract Deathstroke long enough to get the team out.

The events of the day had shown Dick he still had a lot to improve on. He needed to step up his game. With that thought in mind he went up to the Manor and into his room for a long rest.

' _Crap',_ he thought. It was only a Tuesday night. That meant school the next morning.

* * *

The next day was long and walking around school pretending not to have any injuries was hard. Especially when getting shoved into lockers by bullies. Thank goodness for his personal body guard that was Babs Gordon though.

Dick tried hard to keep his mind focused on work, however his thoughts kept on wandering back to the events of last night. He couldn't really focus and though he tried to let his mind be distracted with the rants provided by Barbra, even those didn't work. He decided he needed some time to himself. Luckily for Dick though he didn't need to stay in school for the whole day.

So once all his mandatory classes of the day were done, he signed the leave out register and made his way out of school, not really sure where he was going.

* * *

Dick let the cool wind hit his face. He was on the outskirts of Gotham, on one of the rooftops. He was glad to be on his own for a bit. He needed time to think and sort through what happened yesterday. He had heard his friends think he was useless, had the crap kicked out of him and then had seen the disappointment on Bruce's face.

He felt like such a failure. He had somehow disappointed everyone important in his life. Dick knew he could give himself the benefit of the doubt and the excuse that he was still recovering. But the fact was that these past months had shown Dick that he wasn't as good as he thought he was. His confidence had taken a deep dive and Dick knew he would have to regain it quickly if he wanted to continue on in the hero business. Self doubt and second guessing yourself had no place when you were trying to protect people.

Dick walked over to the side of the building and sat down, keeping his legs crossed. He stared out across the blue sky. After a while he spotted something in the distance. Was it a plane? A bird? Nope. It was Boy Scout.

Superman seemed to have used his every kind of vision and saw Dick from the distance too. Soon, nearly in a blink of an eye, Superman was hovering in front of Dick, smiling gently down. Dick returned the smile but he guessed the man of steel could see his heart wasn't really in it so Dick decided to distract from this, "You know you only make me jealous when you do that."

Dick was referring to the fact that Superman was flying in front of him. Out of all the powers Dick wished he could have, it would definitely be the ability to fly. But at least he was compensated with the knowledge that no one could achieve his type of flying.

Superman landed softly next to Dick and sat down next to him. It made Dick laugh, the most powerful being on earth casually sitting next to him, a small, young human boy. Clark might be a kryptonian but that didn't make him any less of a farm boy from the small corn town of Smallville. Clark seemed to understand what Dick was laughing about and joined in too.

"What brings you here to our delightful little hell hole" Dick said, looking up at Superman and Superman returned his gaze, "Just checking up on my favourite nephew." Clark and Dick both knew they weren't related but Dick had grown up with the Justice League, even witnessed the birth of it, and they had developed that family bond. Dick gaining several Aunts and Uncles and them gaining a hyperactive, ball of energy for a nephew.

"Just passing through. Was coming back from putting out a fire in the Amazon rain forest" Superman replied.

"And let me guess Superman saved the day once again" Dick said this jokingly but it seemed to be hiding some bitterness in his voice he was trying to conceal with laughter and humour.

Dick seemed to read Superman's thoughts of concern and turned his head back to the sky ahead.

Superman had heard about the night before but he didn't see why Dick was worried about it. As far as he could tell from the reports not only had Dick obtained the information needed, he had also gotten his team away from a madman with only Robin suffering major injury. Superman sensed something else was going on. He debated whether or not he should ask. Eventually his worry won out over his respect for privacy.

"What are you really doing up here?" he asked

Dick hesitated before replying. Not really sure if he wanted to talk about what he had over heard yesterday. "I don't think you would really get it, you've never felt weak".

Superman considered this for a second but replied with a light hearted sigh, "Richard, I can be taken down with a bit of rock." Clark was expecting a chuckle from Dick as they had often laughed about Superman's weakness.

But this time, it did little to sooth the boy's mind. Dick jumped up and started pacing. Superman stood up as well and watched the dark haired boy, listening to his rambling train of thought.

"Yeah but you're still the most powerful being on earth. And kryptonite is rare so you don't have to worry that much. While I'm as vulnerable as the other 7 billion people on this planet. And what if I'm just really getting in the way of my team. I mean I am only human… But Batman's human. Did you ever think Batman was a liability? But then he's not he's the God damn Batman…"

Superman strode over to Dick and placed firm hands on to his shoulders to stop his pacing and chaotic train of thought. "Dick, stop. Breathe". Dick complied and inhaled deeply. "Now listen, there was a time I thought Batman was a mere human but he proved time and time again that he was actually the most dangerous man on Earth."

Robin was surprised at Superman's confession and continued to listen, "Now I don't know whats happened to make you question yourself like this, but listen to what I have to say now. Robin you are not weak or a liability. You are human but thats not a bad thing. In fact thats something that can make you more dangerous then any being alive. Don't doubt yourself. You've proven to me and the League that you are a force to be reckoned with and excel in any situation. Thats why Batman allowed you to become Robin."

Superman looked into Dick's electric blue eyes, he always forgot how blue they really were. And before Superman knew it, Robin had wrapped his arms around Superman and buried his head into his chest. Clark returned the gesture and smiled down at the smaller boy as Robin softly said, "Thank you."

They broke apart and shared a smile. "Well, if my works done here I need to be heading back to Metropolis or Lois is going to have my ass." They shared another brief hug and Superman took to the sky.

Though Clark had just saved a rain forest from being reduced to ash, Superman really considered his pep talk to Robin as his good deed of the day. The irony of being a superhero is that you helped strangers constantly but never really got to help the ones you care about. Superman felt his face beam with the happiness that he got to help Robin in some small way.

* * *

 _A.N. Sorry this chapters is a little slow but I really wanted to try and show the close relationship of Clark and Dick and (spoiler) how this will influence Dick in the future. Hope you enjoyed and I'll post again soon. :) Reviews welcomed!_


	8. Robin

**Chapter Eight: Robin**

Dick felt better having had talked to Superman. It made him realise he just had to adapt a bit. Learn more and widen his skills. Robin had always known he had to do this but now felt more energised to really push him self further again, injuries be damned.

He made his way back to Wayne Manor and finished off his school work and ate alone. StrangelyBruce was no where to be found.

At 10 o'clock he went down to the Batcave to get suited up for patrol, but then he couldn't find his suit. He assumed Alfred must have been washing or fixing it. Walking out of the changing rooms he saw Bruce in the Batman attire minus the cowl.

"Hey do you know where my costume is?" Dick asked as he began walking up the steps to find Alfred. "You won't be needing it". Dick froze on the steps and slowly turned around to face Bruce, whose back was still facing him as he stared at the computer screen.

Dick's thoughts were racing a million miles peer hour interpreting and deciphering what that response could mean. He tried to sooth his train of thought and calmly asked, "What do you mean by that?".

Still looking at the screen Batman replied, "Robin you're fired".

Out of all the thoughts that had run through Dick's head, that one didn't even enter. Surely he must of heard Batman wrong. "What do you mean by I'm fired?" Dick asked trying to not let the panic creep into his voice.

Batman spun round in his chair so he was facing Dick. "It means you will no longer be Robin."

Dick could take a lot of things, but not that. It felt like something had just been ripped away from him. And what made it all the more worse was the Batman… no Bruce, showed no emotion. There was no argument or discussion. Just an order. His face was stone as he said the words that Dick had fears and nightmares over. Thats what made Dick blow up. That and the fact that he just got fricken fired!

"What the hell do you mean I'm fired!", he shouted, "I haven't even done anything wrong!".

Batman slowly stood up and strode over. It was an intimidating technique but it sure as hell wasn't going to work on Robin. Robin took a few steps back to keep him at distance. He didn't want any physical contact with this man right now. Batman stopped walking towards him.

"The mission last night confirmed the you are no longer suitable to be out in the field. You have not improved in over a year in any of your skills as our enemies grow stronger. Showing that you are becoming more of a liability to me and your team."

"Yeah, that just means I train harder. You're the god damn Batman! Just push me harder! And my team doesn't find me a liability".

Robin realised he was starting to rant and was letting his emotion take too much control over him. Bruce always froze up with emotions so Dick took a deep meditating breath to regain his composure so he could rationalise with Batman and use logic to argue his case.

"I may have had a lot of injuries in the past months but I've still put 89% of the criminals I've encountered away. Thats higher then Superman for crying out loud. And I know I still have room for improvement but you've got to give me a bit of credit as I was declared legally dead 9 months ago. It takes a little time to completely bounce back from that."

Dick fixed Batman with a stare hoping that his argument would somehow drill some sense into his guardian. It did not work out.

"I've been assessing you're training and I believe you will not improve further under my tuition as you have reached the extents of your capabilities. As for the Superman comment he barely faces two villains so that puts the statistics in your favour."

Dick's jaw dropped. He couldn't believe the words tumbling out of Batman's mouth. His heart felt like it was slowly being ripped apart. To be honest it was. Batman was trying to rip part of him away. Dick was about to argue further but was stopped as Batman walked back over to the Bat computer and brought up the video feed that Dick instantly recognised, "As for your team…"

Dick already knew what he was bringing up. He had witnessed it first hand, but with everything going on somehow his feet were rooted to the ground and his body wasn't responding to his brain to do something. Anything. So he numbly watch the video feed.

 _(Video Feed from Mount Justice)_

 _"I didn't hurt him"_

 _"Oh yeah, well it looked like it bloody well hurt. You, the boy of steel, punched him right in the chest."_

 _"I barely used any of my strength. I never use my strength against Robin, he's too weak."_

 _"What do you mean you hold back? Have you always done this?"_

 _"No just recently. I've been getting a lot stronger and Robin… hasn't"._

 _"Well sorry he's still recovering from being shot"_

 _"_ _Hey, It's not his fault. Robin is only human"._

 _"What's that supposed to mean?"_

 _"Robin's a human trying to fight meta humans or aliens. I don't mean to be mean, but at the end the day Robin's only a little kid."_

 _"Well, what am I? Chopped liver?"_

 _"_ _No…"_

 _"Artemis you know that is not what Megan was trying to say. Robin is a valued member of this team. However…what I believe Megan is trying to say is that the type of confrontational fighting Robin does, seems to be more of a danger to himself then it may need to be"._

 _"What the hell are you on about?"_

 _"Artemis mainly uses long range weapons for offensive and defensive attacks, Superboy is immune to most things, Megan and I have different physicality's due to being from different species and you Wally…"_

 _"Run away from any fight"_

 _"… while Robin has no extraordinary human qualities. He is the best hacker we have and he's a good fighter but only by human standards."_

 _"Hey thats not true, Robin can totally kick ass on his own. He has been doing this for longer than any of us."_

 _"Yeah but how many times do you make sure he's okay on a mission?"_

 _"What the hell! I thought you were on Team Robin!"_

 _"But it's true isn't it. How many times have you been distracted on missions cause you wanted to make sure the boy wonder hadn't been hit too hard."_

 _"Robin's great but at the end of the day… he's only human."_

Each word was like an icy dagger to his heart. His team were confirming all of his fears that he had about himself… again. And worser yet, Batman was as well.

He was getting fired.

As the reality of the situation settled in Dick felt as if he was on fire. His whole life was going up in flames as his friends and families spoke about how much he was a disappointment, let down, liability, unworthy. Human.

Batman started speaking again but Dick didn't really register it. His vision was starting to go fuzzy and limbs heavy from the shock of the situation. As his life left like it was being slowly stripped away from him. Everyone he cared about turning away from him because he wasn't good enough. The blue eyed boy's breathing increased. He felt like he was having a panic attack.

"You're no longer suitable to be Robin. You get injured more then you used to and end up being a liability and stop justice from being obtained. It is obvious your team feel the same and feel restricted from achieving their primary objective. The incident with the Joker was a wake up call, but the events of last night were confirmation of your inadequacy. Therefore this has led me to this decision. Dick, you are no longer Robin."

Dick wasn't sure what made him do it, but his body suddenly came back to him in a rush and he quickly forgot he was having a panic attack and launched full throttle back into the argument.

"It's not you're fucking decision!" he yelled at Batman. The dark knight simply stood there. Frankly a brick wall might have had a better reaction. But Robin pushed on. "You didn't create Robin. In fact Robin started before Batman even got into the picture. He's part of who I am and I can carry on without you",

Robin eyes fixed on to Batman's,hoping somehow his baby blues would have the usual impact they did on people in swaying them into his opinion.

It did not work.

"It is my decision." Bruce's voice still lacking all emotion, "Robin has been constructed to aid Batman and not to act as a solo entity. He might have been an idea before but he became a fully formed and realised concept due to my training, expenses, equipment and involvement. None of which are available to you now. Not even from the league. As far as I am concerned Robin is dead."

Every word was said on the same tone. His eyes never shifting from Robin. He was being the stoic, calm, calculated, freaking Batman and Dick couldn't handle it. He needed to reach the human side of Batman. The man who brought him to the mansion, who laughed at his childish tendencies, the one who held him when he woke up from his haunting memories. He needed to get Bruce to start talking.

But this _was_ Bruce talking. Sure is was Batman's logic but it was still Bruce's face. At the end of day even though Batman wore the costume, playboy Bruce Wayne was the facade really. So Dick really was talking to Bruce right now. Not the costume or the facade. Bare-faced-Bruce. At this realisation Dick's heart ached a bit more. He was staring at the only man he truly trusted and was devoted to, and here he was destroying the thing that made Dick… Dick.

Dick knew Bruce was never good at dealing with emotions — hence why the whole Batman thing had happened in the first place. Dick had thought he had slowly broken down some of those walls and gotten under Bruce's skin. Apparently he was wrong because the way Bruce was speaking to him made Dick sick to his stomach. An outsider might of thought the way Bruce talked to him was like they were strangers that met on the subway. Or even as if Bruce hated him. No not hated. Just didn't care about him.

Dick slowly shook his head and lowered his gaze to the ground, no longer being able to look at Bruce. Dick could feel everything he had worked for and gained from that night he had watch his family fall to their deaths being slowly pulled away from him. It was like he was trying to hold his life together like trying to hold water in his hands. It just kept slipping away.

He felt tears build up in his eyes but refused to spill any in front of this man. A hoarse whisper escaped from his lips, he was now on his last leg of defence into trying to persuade Bruce not to do this to him,

"Please don't do this Bruce. Robin is all I have…" his voice broke a little bit due to the over flowing of emotions going on inside of him, "… he is all I have left to honour my parents… my last connection to them… Am fost primul puțin prihor lor" _(I was their little robin first)_. He slipped back into his native tongue, feeling the stress of the whole situation pressing upon him and squeezing the life out of him.

Dick looked back up at Batman, his shining blue eyes showing a depth of emotion: pain, hurt, betrayal. But Batman simply stared back as if Dick was nothing to him. Not a partner. Or a son. Like he didn't exist.

"My decision is final." Batman stated and resumed his position at the Bat computer and carried on looking and studying files. Dick simply stared on, looking at nothing in particular but feeling his life slowly drain and fade away from him.

"And Dick… what happens to him now?", Dick somehow spoke out evenly but full of loathing for Bruce.

"He carries on his life as normal," Bruce replied as if Dick was acting stupid for even asking what apparently was an obvious answer.

Dick couldn't believe Bruce. He couldn't stand the sight of this empty dark cave, or the equally empty haunted Manor above. He couldn't stand there as his life was being slowly ripped away. But more so, he couldn't stand there and watch the back of Bruce's stupid head for one more minute.

He wanted to run out of there screaming and swearing to high heaven. But somehow he kept his calm and simply walked up the stairs that led to the Manor, but before he left the cave he said, "Dacă robin nu poate sta, apoi Dick nu va fie". _(If robin cannot stay, then Dick will not either.)_

And with that he simply walked out.

* * *

 _A.N. Just wanted to say I know these translations are not accurate, they are simply Google Translations, since I can only speak English._

 _Hope you enjoyed this chapter! It was really hard to write but I was pleased how it ended up :) let me know what you think!_


	9. What about Alfred?

**Chapter Nine: What About Alfred?**

For once Alfred wasn't in the Manor, which Dick was grateful for. Every fibre of his body was telling him to run out of the house screaming, but Dick had developed a logical mind. Right now logic was telling him that if he wanted to make sure that he didn't need to come back then it was best to take a few things with him now.

Dick burst into his room and grabbed his school bag. He discarded the contents of it onto the floor and dumped it onto the bed. He quickly walked over to his walk in wardrobe and snatch up a few things: t-shirts, jeans, underwear and ramped them into his bag. He also grabbed a stash of money that was hidden in his wardrobe in case of emergences and shoved that into his bag as well.

He slipped on a grey hoodie and black leather jacket. Normally he would wear his Robin colours but it didn't feel appropriate anymore and it hurt too much to think about it. Dick didn't want to think about what happened. About what had just been ripped away from him, what his 'friends' said, what Bruce had done to him.

There was a nagging thought though. Maybe he should stay. Maybe Bruce would change his mind. Maybe this was all just a cruel joke. But Dick reminded himself that Bruce never joked and he never changed his mind.

A tear ran down his face but he quickly wiped it away with his sleeve and just focused himself on leaving. He went to grab his phone from the nightstand but stopped when it was in his hand. Did he even need a phone now? Who would he call? His friends? Dick let a bitter laugh escape through his lips and then suddenly herald the phone again the wall and watched it smash to little pieces with satisfaction.

Dick quickly wiped his face again and ran his hands through his hair. Then he picked up the bag and walked over to the window. Before climbing out he went to his desk and opened the top draw. Inside lay a silver chain with two silver rings on it. Two wedding bands. He quickly slipped this on and proceeded to climb out of the window. He dropped down on the manicured lawn, rolling at the last second to absorb some of the impact. He stood up too quickly and his cracked rips protested to the sudden movement.

Dick started to walk over to the garage. He knew he had some time to leave as Batman would be out, going on patrol as if nothing had just happened . As if Dick's world hadn't just ended.

Dick didn't want to wait around. He didn't want Alfred coming back in cause Alfred was actually able to persuade him to stay.

Bruce no longer wanted him here and Dick wasn't one to out stay his welcome. His mind flashed back to one of his early moments at the manor when he had tried to run away.

* * *

 _Dick sat on his oversized bed snuffling but refusing to cry. Why should he cry? He had only been here for a few weeks. Though this place was way better then the detention facility, it was clear Bruce really had no intention of keeping him here for long. He was never around and hardly spoke to him. It was clear to the small boy that Bruce didn't want to be a dad. He just needed a good publicity stunt for the time being and when it had blown over Dick would be sent away. This was a half way house at best._

 _The least Dick wanted was to leave of his own accord and not someone else's._

 _Just as Dick got off his bed with his little suit case Alfred knocked and walked in. Dick froze like a rabbit in the headlights; not sure what to do. He watched as Alfred observed the disarrayed room and draw his conclusions in what was occurring._

 _As Alfred's eyes settled back onto Dick, Dick looked away in shame. But before Alfred could ask the lingering question in the room Dick blurted, "I know Bruce doesn't want me here, so I'm saving everyone the time and effort and leaving."_

 _Alfred continued to stare at Dick. He then slowly walked over and knelt in front of the eight year old and placed his hands on his shoulders. Alfred knew people and how to deal with them. With Bruce he would use his British logic that even Bruce couldn't argue with_

 _But when Dick was upset he knew physical contact was the way to go._

 _"Master Richard look at me," big shining blue orbs hesitantly looked up, "Master Bruce and I care deeply for you. I know its hard to see but your presence has had a big impact on him, and though he does not show it in conventional ways, he deeply cares for you"._

 _Alfred felt Dick shake a little under his hand but continued to carry on, "Give him a little time to learn how to communicate that across effectively, but know this if your home and no one will ever take that away. You are safe and loved here."_

 _At those words Dick knees finally gave out and he crumpled into Alfred. After a second Alfred wrapped his arms around him in a hug. They stayed like that for several minutes._

 _As Dick finally calmed down Alfred chose to speech again, "Now lets clean up this room. It's disgraceful"._

* * *

Dick had stopped walking, thinking back to that memory. He had always felt that if Alfred hadn't walked in he would have left. Thats why he needed to leave before Alfred came home. If anyone could convince Dick to stay it was Alfred and Dick desperately didn't want to stay.

So he quickly resumed his journey to the garage and entered. He picked up his motorbike keys that were hanging on the wall with all the other automobiles keys and quickly walked past all the vintage and sports cars and into the bike section. He went over and grabbed a helmet and pulled it on as he walked over to his black Kawasaki Ninja ZX 14R. Though Dick didn't have a driving licence he could still drive better then most adults, and this bike was one of his favourite modes of transportation.

He brushed his fingers over the handles of the bike, but before climbing onto the bike he walked over to the tool box in the corner and looked through it until he came across a sharp knife. Before going back over to the bike he quickly hit a button located on the wall and the garage door started to ascend.

He went back over to the bike and knelt in front of it pulling a small box away from the the machine. The box was small, sleek and black and had white writing scrawled on it saying, 'Wayne Tech'. It was a tracking box and right now he wanted to make sure Bruce couldn't find him. Dick cut the wires that connected it to the bike.

He was about to throw it to the side when an idea occurred to him. He turned on the signal beacon and he quickly slipped it into his leather jacket's pocket and climbed on. Dick leant forward and started up the bike.

The bike speeded down the driveway and through the grand manor gates. He slowed down just as he was about to hit the main road back into Gotham when Dick saw Alfred pulling into the road. They shared a glance and Alfred's face seemed surprised. He knew Dick was meant to be out on patrol. Dick quickly looked away in shame, he didn't want to hurt Alfred. He wanted to hug him and say a real goodbye but he knew if he did that he would never say goodbye.

This thought made Dick look back at Alfred. _'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Alfred.'_ Dick hoped Alfred could somehow read his thoughts by his facial expression but he knew it was hard with his obscured face due to the helmet. Dick quickly speeded up leaving a worried Alfred behind him and carried on down the road.

* * *

Alfred had always taken his job as a butler seriously. Others may have thought it was beneath them and maybe even beneath Alfred. But Alfred had always taken great pride in his work. He loved Martha and Thomas Wayne and was happy to keep and make their house a home for them. Making sure it was always warm, clean and safe. Making sure they always had a beverage in their hands and a plateful of food at the ready. When they had passed Alfred had weeped not for only the loss of his employers - Alfred would never say friends, he was British after all and like to appear he had kept things professional — but he had also wept for the loss Master Bruce now held in his heart.

This made his role in the house hold change slightly to accommodate Bruce's needs more appropriately. He still kept the house full with food, drink and warmth, but focused more on accommodating Bruce with what ever he needed. This meant giving Bruce a deeper education by acquiring books and teachers. Alfred was even the one who started to teach Bruce his fighting skills. Alfred had been in MI6 so he was more than qualified and not the feeble man every one assumed.

As a result of this though, the home he had strived to up keep had started to become more of a house. Now, some people did not understand this distinction but Alfred knew the importance of it. A house was a building for human inhabitation. Something that could be easily replaced and supplement. But a home was were somewhere lived. Created memories and felt a sense of security and emotional investment.

Though Alfred had his doubts about bringing Master Richard into Master Bruce's house, it was not because he held anything against the child but it was because he knew the child needed a home to grow up in. Not an isolating building with a man in it who had isolated himself from the world.

Alfred had never expected for this little boy to actually change the house back into a home. Never could he have imaged for the same boy to turn Master Bruce, a little, into the boy he used to be before the tragedy occurred.

This is why Alfred grew increasingly worried on his drive back to the manor from helping Dr. Leslie at the clinic. The look of Dick's face had sent a shiver down his spine. Those big blue eyes had shone with the emotions of deep hurt and betrayal and this was what made Alfred fear that Master Bruce had done something he truly could not go back on.

Alfred pulled into the drive and made his way through the manor and to the kitchen. He knew Bruce had gone out onto his nightly patrol so there would be no point waiting in Batcave. So for the next few hours he made an already spotless kitchen sparkle, but this did little to sooth his worry. Finally when the time came around he went to the grand father clock and set it to 10:47. He quickly descended down the stairs and waited patiently for the Batmobile to return to its spot of honour.

Not soon after, the Batmobile pulled up and the Dark Knight swiftly made his way out and to the computer.

Alfred was shocked by Master Bruce's appearance. To any other they would see the imitating dark figure but what Alfred saw was Bruce's default setting. The single minded, unthinking and unfeeling Batman. More accurately the Batman before Robin, and if Bruce was acting like this then he had done something terribly wrong and did not know how to handle it. So he had pushed it aside to deal with later. Set him self to his default setting

'Bruce what did you do?' With this thought in mind Alfred remand perfectly silent and still at the side. He knew Batman had registered him but chose to occupy his mind with other things. So without a single word Batman sat at the Bat computer and Alfred kept a level gaze constantly on Batman.

After ten minutes Batman finally broke. "Was there something you needed Alfred?". Alfred worry grew at the sound of Master Bruce's voice. Under closer observation he also saw that Batman had a decent amount of blood on his gloved hands. Nothing to cause concern for the recipients but enough to inform Alfred Bruce had done something that he was struggling with.

This in mind Alfred simply responded "What has occurred this evening during my absence?". Bruce took serval minutes before replying, "Nothing".

Alfred's eyes narrowed. He knew Master Bruce was trying to hide something from him. So Alfred rephrased the question, "What has occurred between yourself and Master Richard?".

Alfred watched as Batman stilled as if trying to think of a way to avoid the question but finally said, "I fired him". Alfred stopped.

Why on earth would Batman fire Robin? He understood that Bruce had been acting peculiar since the Joker incident, but did not know Bruce was having such thoughts. Alfred tried to keep his mind clear, "And why is that?"

To which Batman replied, "Because he was no longer suitable for the position".

For years Alfred had never shared any emotional opinion with Bruce. If he had it would be delivered clinically and cold. For years he had now observed the relationship between what he had considered his son and his grandson blossom and benefit them both. The image of Master Richard driving out of the manor with his bike roaring past Alfred came to his mind. The emotions his face expressed slotted into perfect sense into Alfred's mind now.

For as long as Master Bruce had know Alfred, Alfred had always held his tongue.

"You stupid boy," Alfred did not shout it or whisper it, but what shocked Bruce was the clear anger expressed in it. This warranted Bruce to finally turned around and look Alfred in the eye. "You have allowed Master Richard to create something that gives him purpose and you have simply taken that away from him." Bruce was about to interrupt but Alfred was having none of it, "How would you feel if you could no longer be the Batman? I suggest you find that boy and right your misjudgment immediately before any further damage could be done."

With that Alfred gave Batman a glare. Not the Batman glare, no something far worse for it was hardly ever seen, the god damn Alfred glare. The respected butler quickly turned on his heel and ascended the steep stairs back to the Manor.

Before Alfred exited he heard Batman say, "He's heading to Metropolis". Alfred briefly paused before carrying on, "Then I suggest you go get him".


	10. Kind Strangers

**Chapter Ten: Kind Strangers**

The moon was high in the sky and there was little artificial light for Dick to see his surrounding. But unfortunately Dick knew this place like the back of his hand. For other people this place would have been too scary to come here at night, but this was always been a point of refuge for Dick from the outside world.

Dick was kneeling in front of five tomb stones, reading: Mary Grayson, John Grayson, Karla Grayson, Rick Grayson and Jonny Grayson. Many people forgot it wasn't just Dick's parents he had lost that night but his aunt and cousin too.

His uncle had been paralysed and comatose but eventually Dick had to pull the plug. That had been the second worst moment of his life, hearing his uncle's final breath leave his body. He never really got to say a real goodbye to any of his family.

Some families aren't that close, so when a family member dies its sad and emotional but it's not that hard to carry on. Dick didn't have that luxury. His family was his world. He might not have had the best house, education or opportunities with his family, but he was happy. More then that. He had loved his life because he had them in it. All of them flying and living together. But that was suddenly taken away from him.

Now it felt like it was happening again.

Dick stared at the grave stones, his mind completely blank. After several moments he finally broke down. He wept and cried over his loss. Over his betrayal. He kept on repeating the words 'it can't be true' like a mantra. Hoping if he said it enough somehow it might make it so. But this wasn't a dream and he wouldn't wake up. This was reality.

He laid his head on the ground and continued to cry.

Dick lost all sense of time. He had no idea how long he had been lying there in front of his family. After his cries had faded into sobs and then into nothing, Dick slowly got back onto his knees and faced his family again.

"I'm going away. I'm not sure when I'll be back but I will come back. I love you. I'm so sorry."

With those words Dick slowly walked out of the graveyard and went over to where his bike was parked. He inhaled a deep breath and slowly let it go. Feeling some of the tension leave his body.

His eyes then spotted an unfamiliar car over by the Vicar's house next to the church. Dick often visited the Vicar's family and as a result he was familiar with what was normal and abnormal there.

Dick had often talked to the Vicar. Some trivial things like school, hobbies, books. Some deeper meaningful things like religion and spirituality, They also talked about their families. Dick had told the Vicar about his childhood and his memories on the road and travelling the world with the circus. The Vicar had talked about how he had a brother that lived in Metropolis and worked in a lab. They had often laughed at the juxtaposition between the two brother's jobs. Science and religion.

With that in mind, Dick slowly walked over to the Vicar's house and to the foreign car. It was a rusty dull blue pick-up. Dick went to the open back and pulled the tracking box out from his jacket and placed it discreetly on the inside of the truck.

Once satisfied it wouldn't fall out or get noticed. He walked back over to his bike. With no particular location in mind he started up his engine and pulled away. And then just started to drive.

* * *

It was hours later till Dick finally pulled over next to a bridge. Dick climbed off his bike but did it slowly due to his cramped muscles and sore injuries. He pulled off his helmet and back pack and rested them on his bike. Dick sucked in the crisp early morning air. The sun was coming up soon and Dick hadn't even gone to sleep yet.

Part of his mind registered that he should try and check into a motel, but his eyelids started to close before he could get to one. So Dick had decided to take a break and try and wake him self up a little so he wouldn't fall asleep on his bike.

He was on the outskirts of a city, but Dick failed to recognise which one. His mind not concentrating on where he was going. Just as long as he put enough miles between him and Gotham. Him and Bruce.

Dick's body stiffened at this thought and a new wave of pain overcame his heart. His breathing hitched in pace and he could clearly see his rapid breaths due to the cold air creating a fog. Dick stumbled over to the middle of the bridge and rested his arms over the side. He quickly stripped off his leather jacket letting the cold air help distract him from his rising temperature. He tried to keep his mind focused on the rapid water below, rushing down the stream.

After a few minutes but what felt like an eternity, the blue eye boy finally got his breath under control. He greedily sucked in one large gulp of air but started coughing due to it. He finally settled and kept his gaze trained below.

He felt like he should be crying but he couldn't. It might have been because of the cold air or that he was just physically, mentally and emotionally too exhausted. Or that he had just cried too much.

Dick wanted to keep his mind blank, but unfortunately his brain wouldn't allow him that. His mind kept on racing back to that dark cave and the back of Bruce's head being silhouetted by the computer screen's light. And his voice… _"You're no longer Robin."_

Dick eye's started to water up again. ' _Okay maybe he hadn't run out of tears to cry.'_

Dick was so wrapped up in his thoughts he didn't even register the footsteps approaching him from the other side of the bridge. Not until a calm voice said, "You alright?" Dick spun around and nearly lost his footing. The older man rushed forward to help him but Dick quickly retreated further aback.

Sensing Dick's discomfort the man stopped a little away from Dick. "Wh… what?" Dick stuttered out. His voice was cracked and quiet from all his emotions and the cold.

But the man simply repeated, "Are you okay?" Worry crossing his face as he took in Dick's appearance; the ruffed hair and obvious tear tracks that hadn't faded. "You're a little young to be out on your own".

Dick let out a gentle laugh. True he was only 14 but he had always been mistaken as younger. This man properly thought he was 12 maybe 11. Having big baby blue eyes and being the hobbit that he was, often misled people to think that. "I'm older then I look" Dick returned, his gaze to the stream below.

Dick wasn't really that aware of the man next to him. With everything that had happened and his now lack of sleep, he felt like his mind had been overloaded and reduced to basic functions: keeping him breathing and heart pumping.

The man assumed a similar position just shy of Dick and looked down to the water as well. They stayed like that for several minutes, the other man sensing Dick needed a little time to regain his thoughts. It wasn't an awkward silence between them as they were both content to just watch the rushing water from their position on the bridge.

The man then spoke again when he thought Dick had settled enough, "Look I don't know whats happened but you're obviously in distress. I want to help you somehow." The man spoke softly. He seemed really concerned about this smaller boy he had just met.

Dick was moved by the sincerity of his voice, but that might have been because of the roller coaster of emotions his mind had been through. But right now he needed an act of human kindness and not another cold, ruthless face.

Dick rose his head a little, looking further down the stream, "No it's okay, I don't want to be a burden".

The older man observed at Dick for a moment, "You're not a burden. I want to help. Maybe I can share some of my wisdom and knowledge with you" he added jokey trying to help distract Dick from his whirlwind of thoughts and memories.

"I wished there is something you could teach me. Help me move on", Dick had no idea why he was rambling on to this stranger. He seemed kind and to be honest Dick just needed to voice some of his thoughts, otherwise he feared he might go mad. At the end of the day Dick was a social creature and thrived of human companionship. He couldn't be left to dwell in seclusion.

They had lapped back into silence again, watching the faint rays of the sun starting to pop up over the horizon. Dick mind wandered back to the dark cave. He couldn't help it, part of his mind was still trying to rationalise what had happened. Was Bruce actually hiding something? Trying to protect him? Was he being blackmailed? Dick's mind also tried replaying the scene thinking of anything else he might have said to convince the Bat he was wrong.

But Dick's mind still come to the same conclusion each time. Bruce had decided that he was no longer good enough and didn't want him any more. "Reached the extents of my capabilities". Dick hadn't realised he had said this loud. He sensed a shift in movement from the other man.

Dick quickly mumbled, to erase the confused look on the man's face, "My…" what should he call Bruce now? Father? Guardian? Parental figure?

"My… my mentor said I wasn't good enough and that I would never get any better. He kind of just gave up on me". It felt uncomfortable saying all this aloud, not because he was talking to a stranger but because by saying it allowed it made it more real. It did help however because Dick started to feel more planted in the world instead of just trapped inside his head.

"Well your mentor's an idiot. I think you have a lot of potential," Dick was about to comment but the stranger quickly carried on, "I'm sure he just didn't want you to out grow him". This put Dick into another lap of silence. Some how these words seemed to ring of a slight truth. Was Bruce simply just worried that Dick would out grow him. Looking back he had seen how he spent more time with the team and less with Batman. Even in day life he spent it will school friends rather then with Bruce like how he used to when he was little.

Dick had felt Bruce distancing himself from himself in previous months and growing colder towards him.

Was an underlying, subconscious reason that Bruce had fired him was because Bruce was trying to purposely distance himself from Dick before the inevitable happened and Dick left?

The two strangers continued on gazing at the slowly rising sun. "Look I want to help you", the older man spoke softly, he shifted his gaze towards Dick again. Dick hadn't realised the gap between them had closed considerably. "You seem like a good kid and I'll leave you alone when you're ready".

Dick was still deep in thought, but the older man's comment brought him slightly back to focus. However his head was still a bit foggy from all the emotions, exhaustion or the flaring pain of his recent injuries coming back to him. He had forgotten to pack any pain medication to help.

Part of him registered what the man said and wanted the help he offered. He had no clue what his next step was, and speaking to someone might help him decide what to do now. His plan so far had only consisted of: 'get away from Gotham.'

Dick spoke slowly not truly realising he was speaking, "Yeah that sounds good."

The other man shifted and rested a reassuring, gentle hand on Dick's shoulder. "Glad I can help… Richard."

The once gentle and soothing voice of the stranger changed to a deep, almost velvet like voice that Dick recognised.

Alarm bells suddenly started ringing in his head. But before Dick could react, the hand on his shoulder snaked around to rest on the back of his head. Dick's head was slammed down against the brick railing of the bridge. A thud and crack of skull meeting solid brick was heard, but all Dick could register was his white vision and the flaring pain on his forehead. He was vaguely aware of some blood dripping down into his eyes all he felt was a falling sensation.

The older man had used Dick's moment of surprise and pain to place himself completely behind Dick. He spun him around, and grabbed a hold of the chain around Dick's neck. The stranger then delivered an incredibly hard kick against Dick's chest which sent him flying over the side of the bridge into the freezing waters below. The chain around his neck snapping instead of following him in.

Dick tried to remain above the water but the current was too strong and what little breath he had left in his body was forced out by the piecing cold waters, stabbing his skin like a million little needles. So he just let the waters push him away.

However, even though his body protested and his mind was warped with confusion, he somehow made himself kick his legs and his arms stretch out. Luckily Dick's arms grabbed hold of something, what it was he wasn't sure as his vision was a mixture of white and red.

What little strength his body had vanished all together as he pulled himself up onto the bank of the river and he slowly let the comforting blackness take a hold of him.

* * *

 _A.N. And now begins the second arc to this story;) tell me what you think xx_


	11. Burned

A.N. ** _WARNING PLEASE PLEASE READ!_**

 _Okay, part 2 of this story contains TORTURE and HUGE ANGUISH! If this sort of thing unsettles you then I'd advise not to read. Unfortunately Dick story line is not going to be a pretty one and he's gonna definitely fall before he can rise again. And when I say fall… I mean flat on his face._

 _Please don't read if you struggle or get triggered by any thing related to torture - physical and mental - grief, anguish and a general overall depressing feeling. But I promise it will get better for Dick, but as the saying says it's always darkest before the dawn._

 ** _YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!_**

 _On another note thank you so much for all the support I've received for my first fanfic! I really appreciate and love you guys for it :)_

 _Anyway onto the next chapter._

* * *

Dick didn't snap awake. It was a slow and groggy emersion into consciousness. The first thing that came into sensation was pain. His head felt like it had been split open and all his previous injuries now seemed to be throbbing with renewed vigour. Due to all of this he almost didn't realise that his arms now ached.

Dick slowly cracked his eyes open only to be greeted by a dark room. He could vaguely make out a faint light entering around the frame of a foreboding looking, metal door and he suddenly felt a little claustrophobic realising how close all the stone walls were. Dick also noticed how cold he was. This was down to him wearing no shirt or shoes allowing the coldness of the room to seep into his skin and down to his bones.

Finally registering the burning pain in his arms and he slowly looked up, trying not to make his head spin. Dick really didn't feel like throwing up right now. He noticed his arms were stretched up above his head and held there by two metal shackles. A chain held Dick just above the teasing ground enough that this toes just skimmed it.

This was as far as Dick got with his observation of the room due to the opening of the door. Dick scrunched up his eyes as his head protested to the flooding in of light, but Dick was able to vaguely make out a dark silhouette that stood in the door frame. As his eyes slowly adjusted to the blinding light the figure before him became clearer and Dick suddenly saw the orange and black mask.

The mask acted like a trigger and the events of the last few days hit him all at once. The training session with Superboy, hearing his friends true thoughts, the mission, the talk with Superman, Batman firing him, him running away, seeing Alfred's face drive past him and the 'kind' stranger on the bridge.

Dick still reeling from the sudden remembrance left him silence and all he could do was watch the assassin before him. Deathstroke.

Deathstroke had a malicious glint in his eye while observing Dick as if he was a prize. He fluidly moved over to the corner of the room and slowly took of his mask and placed it on a metal table that had been hidden in shadow. Two objects lay on that table but Dick's vision was still confused from the blow to the head and the blinding light.

Now Dick was before the man he met on the bridge, but at the same time this was not the same man. His body language had changed from a humble man to that of a trained and world renowned assassin. His shoulders where relaxed and head held high. Posture straighter and imposing. His body somehow seemed to take up more space. The most noticeable change was the appearance of the eyepatch revealing only one cold, calculating grey eye replacing the matching kind grey eyes he had seen.

"Glad to see you're finally conscious." Dick's skin crawled at the calmness of Deathstroke's velvety voice. He hated that man's voice. Unfortunately Dick had been in these kind of situations before as both Robin and Richard Grayson, but the real question was who was the one kidnapped here?

As Dick tried to figure that out, Deathstroke walked back in front of him. Deathstroke was much taller then Dick, looming over him making him seem like a giant that could squash Dick at any moment. These's where the times Dick hated his families lack of height genes.

Dick went to speak but he only coughed heavily, his injured rips protesting. This throat felt like it hadn't had water in years, but Dick was able to croak out, "Well if you wanted me up sooner you should be a bit gentler with your hostages."

Deathstroke remained still and unmoving. "Bruce will pay you don't have to worry about that. You just need to call him and he'll have the money". Dick tried adding fear into his voice to play up his role of confused son of a billionaire. It wasn't that hard really. Dick was cold, exhausted and injured. It was a battle to just remain conscious.

"Now now, no need to do the usual show of useless hostage… Robin", Dick tried to show confusion on his face and went to reply but Deathstroke interrupted him with a single word. "Rahat". This had Dick stop and stare into Deathstroke's eye. Deathstroke looked amused by this action.

"You said it the other night. The meaning behind the word was very obvious and I have to say many people have had the same reaction. However it was a language I had never heard it uttered in. Imagine my surprise when I learnt it was Romani. Many people assumed the Boy Wonder of Gotham was a Gothamite himself, but that wasn't by birth was it Richard."

Dick remained silent unsure of how to answer. He wanted to slap himself for being so stupid and slipping into his native tongue. Dick lowered his gaze slightly. His head throbbing and it becoming harder to support. However Dick felt cold leather grip his chin and turn his head from side to side.

"It is obvious that you are of Eastern European decent due to the features and colouring. But I have to say the blue eyes where a surprise. A rare trait among your people. Robin egg blue eyes, I wonder if thats why you mother called you Robin."

Dick glared back at this man, full of hate for him even mentioning his mother. "I don't know what you're talking about". Dick had dropped the act of confused, scared 14 year old, but he wasn't confirming any of Deathstroke's suspicions.

The hand grabbing Dick's chin pushed Dick's head back slightly and then released, leaving Dick swinging ever so slightly. "I believe you do. I was very intrigued with you performance the other night in the office complex. You fight better then most and you demonstrated you had a capable mind, displaying you have potential. It was this potential that made me want to find the boy under the mask. So I did a little research. Your use of acrobatics interwoven with your fighting showed you have been trained from a young age. A gymnast perhaps? Then it was easy to estimate physical appearance: colouring, height, age. However it was learning that you were from Romani decent, that really narrowed down the search in discovering who you were. That's what lead me to find a granted citizenship for one, Richard John Grayson who unsurprising came from a world famous family act called the Flying Graysons".

Dick kept his eyes to the ground. His felt like the pressure inside Dick's head might crack his skull. He didn't have the energy to stare back to Deathstroke.

So he kept his gaze to studying the floor but his heart sank a little more each time as Deathstroke spoke. There was no way that he could talk his why out of Deathstroke's logic. Knowing this Dick felt exposed. This mercenary now knew everything about his life, and he knew nothing about the man before him. But Deathstroke wasn't done with his lecture.

"I learnt of the tragic event that occurred during the Flying Grayson's final show. Young Richard had to watch 5 members of his family fall to a messy end. Left alone with no one to take care of him. Biological family ripped away and then circus family. However a knight in shining armour came, didn't he? To take away all your troubles and fears. The buffoon known as Bruce Wayne."

Dick couldn't take this lecturing anymore. He didn't like being patronised, his life story dragged out in front of him and belittled. He thrashed around in his bindings and yelled "Don't you dare talk about any of my family!"

In an instant Dick felt his cheek burn. Deathstroke had slapped him, "Do not ever interrupt me" Deathstroke said quietly into his ear. The ferocity hidden in his voice promised pain and violence; it was enough for Dick to lower his head submissively. His body now drained of any energy it may have had in reserve. All he could do not was dangle from the chains that held him and listen to this mad man.

Deathstroke toke a step back and observed Richard. When he was content he would not be interrupted again he carried on. "I have to say the smoke screen that Bruce Wayne put up was very effective. Playboy idiot by day and avenging bat by night. But once I figured out your identity it was not had to figure out his. Or some others."

Dick's breath hitched in his throat. "I have to say you are very connected to the hero family and I made some startling and interesting revelations. The mightiest man on earth playing a mild mannered farm boy reporter, the emerald archer playing irresponsible CEO, black leathered bird playing doctor, crimson speedster still on the side of law. Need I go on. I realised you were very well protected and hard to get to at that point. But when I saw footage of you leaving Gotham, by yourself... I knew it was too much of an opportunity to pass up."

Dick knew this man held all the power. There was a reason for secret identities and now all his loved ones were at risk. But he also knew Deathstroke had a point behind this. He wasn't merely gloating. Deathstroke wanted something. Something from Dick. Too tired to figure it out though Dick did the simplest thing to find out. He asked. "What do you want?"

At this Deathstroke let out a little chuckle. "Too tired to figure it out. Well you are severely exhausted and injured so I will grant you an answer. Not to mention you're still coping with the fact that you were abandoned by a man you considered a father."

Dick closed his eyes as thoughts of Bruce filled his mind. Dick felt tears coming to his eyes but refused to spill them. To distract himself from the wave of memories and emotions he concentrated on Deathstroke's voice even though he really didn't want to.

Slade had started to circle him, making Dick feel exposed and vulnerable. He felt like prey being stalked by a shark. "From what I've seen and learnt, you are very skilled. A master at multiple fighting styles, world leading on acrobatics, skilled hacker, genius level IQ, speaks 10 languages and knows a fair amount about mechanics. However, you have not been perfected yet. You still need to be fine-tuned and molded. But it is this potential Richard that has made me choose you to be my apprentice. Congratulations."

'Wait…what?' was the first thing that popped into Dick's head. This man had researched all about him, kidnapped him in his most vulnerable moment just because the man wanted an apprentice?

Deathstroke was again in front of Dick, who looked up in disgust, "No thanks, don't really want to be spending anymore time with you", Dick spat out. Deathstroke seemed unaffected, "Now now Richard…" but Dick had had enough, "Stop calling me that!".

Only a few people could call him Richard. Ones he trusted and respected enough and they were either in the ground or no longer wanted him.

But due to his outburst, Dick was punched painfully in the stomach and he was swinging again. "I see you need a lesson taught to you twice. Do not make it a third time" Deathstroke threatened.

The assassin waited until Dick was once again static but his breathing was still heavy as he tried to regain the air that had been forced out of him. Deathstroke decided to move closer until his head was directly next Richard's and whispered into his ear, "You have no choice about this Richard. You will be my apprentice and you will not leave here. Make this easier on yourself and just except your new role."

Deathstroke then lifted up Dick's chin until blue orbs stared into metallic grey. "You must simply call me Master". Deathstroke paused waiting for Dick's reply.

Dick spat in his face.

However Dick's action did not have the reaction he had hoped. Deathstroke remained calm and simply wiped his face with his hand. In fact he almost looked pleased. As he walked back over to the metal table he said, "I was hoping you would be hard to break." Deathstroke picked up two objects that were previously on the table. Dick could now see what they were.

Deathstroke lifted the long metal rod that had the shape of an 's' on the end and started to heat it up with a blow touch, "It'll make it so much more satisfying when you finally break".

Once the metal 's' was glowing red, Deathstroke walked back over to Dick. Dick's eyes growing with fear, knowing the pain that was coming. But also at the fear of being branded like cattle. The visual reminder that he was Deathstroke's possession.

Dick tried to struggle, his metal chains clanking together demonstrating his struggles. But as the burning metal came closer to his skin and he could feel the heat radiating off of it and he froze. Despair rising with his increasing heart beat.

"You will learn you place Richard".

Hot metal was pressed against Richard's chest and Dick let out an ear piecing scream, but only Deathstroke heard it.


	12. Worries, Truth and Pie

In the first 16 hours of Richard leaving, Bruce had been unconcerned. Thinking Richard just needed to blow off steam. Believing he knew where Dick was and properly just visiting Clark. That quickly vanished when he located the GPS coordinates from the tracking box normally attached to Dick's bike and discovered it was actually coming from a rusty old pick up. Under further investigation Bruce discovered that the owner of the truck was the local priest's visiting brother.

Bruce rapidly started working to pin point where Dick was, retreating into the Batcave for several hours and trying to think of places Dick might go. However once the 36 hour mark had gone by since Dick's leaving Bruce was forced to contact the police and alert them to Dick's disappearance.

This had side tracked Bruce from his working as he needed to fill in the police and Commissioner Gordon on the previous hours before Dick's running away. Once Bruce was finally left alone he was able to locate a traffic camera that picked up Dick's bike. It seemed Dick hadn't been too concerned about road safety and Commissioner Gordon had questioned why Dick even knew how to ride a motorbike. Luckily Dick's background at the circus explained a lot of Dick's unorthadoxed skills and talents.

Batman had given Gordon all the information he had gathered, raising an eyebrow at why Batman was so interested. To this Batman simply vanished leaving a curious Commissioner alone on a rooftop.

As it had hit day four, Superman had paid a visiting explaining his concern for Dick's well being, partially after the conversation they had. However once Bruce had told Superman the truth in why Dick had left, the Man of Steel actually rose his voice for the first time at the Dark Knight of Gotham.

"So let me get this straight. After surviving a bullet to the heart and being the only one that held his ground against the assassin Deathstroke and still completing the mission objective. You fired Dick from being Robin?" Superman's voice rose slightly through out. He couldn't understand the dark knight's reasoning.

Bruce was tired, unshaven and ragged. He hadn't slept for four days and was sick with worry; and guilt was slowly leaking into the mixture. "Yes" was all he replied not having the energy to explain his logic to the boy scout.

"Bruce you do realise you took the only thing he cared about and confirmed all the fears he had been having?"

This peeked Bruce's interest a bit. Bruce knew Dick had been having doubts due to overhearing his team but how did Clark know? Bruce rose an eyebrow at Clark indicating his curiosity. Clark had been around Bruce long enough to interpret what these subtle gestures meant since Bruce wasn't the most expressive person.

"I saw Dick the other day and we talked as I could see he was upset." Clark filled in the details and Bruce nodded.

They both sat in silence for a moment. They were currently in Bruce's study in the Manor. The God send that was Alfred Pennyworth had somehow persuaded Bruce to retire above ground for a little while to get food, drink and sunlight to waken him up since he refused to go to sleep.

Still confused by Bruce's actions Clark decided to resume talking in the hope it might just annoy the Dark Knight enough into talking, "I just don't understand Bruce. Dick may have been injured a bit recently but that just means he had room for improvement. Heck we all do. In the fact Dick has more experience, skill and wisdom then most people in the Justice League. He has proven how good he is and I don't understand how you could turn your back on him. Not to mention Robin is basically Dick's shrine to remember his parents and why he does this…"

At the mention at Dick's parents Bruce snapped. It was the exact argument that Dick had made the previous night and it somehow triggered the flood gate Bruce kept closed on his emotions to open up.

"I know that Clark!" Bruce yelled angrily trying to get Clark to shut up so he could have some silence and peace of mind. But the events of the last few days, actually the last few months, that Bruce had kept bottled up suddenly exploded inside of him and he felt he needed to release this energy quickly.

Bruce grabbed a vase that sat at the side of the room and hurled it at the opposite wall. He watched it smashed, but it did little to cool the rage inside of him now. His fears, guilt, conflicts all springing to the surface. He spun around and kicked the table where the vase had rested, sending it splitting to the floor.

Bruce suddenly remembered he had company and decided to try to meditate slightly before he destroyed any more of his furnishings. However he still needed to relent some of these emotions, so for the first time ever, he actually opted to speak them to another human being.

"I know all of this. I didn't fire him because he was unworthy or a liability. I fired him for my own selfish reasons."

Clark surprised by Bruce's confession, waited a moment to see if Bruce would carry on. When he did not Clark tried to encourage Bruce into continuing. "What do you mean Bruce?"

Bruce released a long breath, trying to find the right words. When he spoke again he spoke quietly. "Dick almost died. I… I couldn't lose him. And then when I heard he had the encounter with Deathstroke… I… I was…. scared. I fired Robin because I couldn't lose Dick. Dick is the best part of me and I made a promise to his parents to keep him safe and alive. I can't lose Dick otherwise… I'm all alone".

Clark was left dumbfounded. He had been friends with Bruce for many years and even then the word 'friend' was used lightly. But he had never heard Bruce seem so fragile or exposed. Clark did the only thing he knew he could. He stood up and walked over to Bruce and put a hand on his shoulder, "Tell him that when you get him back", Clark said softly.

Suddenly the vulnerable man Clark had seen reverted back into its original self. Finding some sort of new purpose to find Dick had revived Brice's energy. "I just need to find him" and with that Bruce vanished into the caves below.

Clark not wanting to leave yet went to the kitchen where Alfred was serving pumpkin pie. Clark would never tell his ma this, but Alfred's was the best. And Alfred already had a plate ready with a glass of milk on the side.

"Good Morning Mr Kent". Alfred spoke but it seemed more reserved then usual. It was easy to tell Alfred was worried about Dick; but Clark still replied, "Good Morning Alfred. Thanks for the pie".

Alfred only nodded back and went to cleaning up the dishes while Superman gobbled down the pie. Once Clark was satisfied every crumb had been eaten off his plate he took his plate over and helped Alfred clean up. Martha Kent had raised a polite and helpful boy after all.

They continued on in silence with Clark washing and Alfred drying and putting away. After a while though Clark broke the silence, "How are you doing Alfred?"

Alfred still moving fluidly around the kitchen, knowing it like the back of his hand, and replied "If I am to be honest Mr Kent. I am worried for Master Richard but more so for Master Bruce".

This left Clark a bit puzzled. Alfred reading his expression sighed and finally stopped moving around. "Of course I am worried for Master Richard. He is upset and heartbroken and out there somewhere thinking he has no home. Master Bruce recognises this and if we never find Master Richard, Master Bruce will forever hold himself accountable for it".

Clark finished cleaning up the last plate and placed it on the drying rack, absorbing what Alfred had said. He couldn't help but agree. Dick was resourceful and knew how to look after himself. But Bruce had always been a bit of an emotional mess masked with shadow and violence. Clark didn't know how Bruce would cope if Dick didn't return.

"Dick changed Bruce a lot more then Bruce changed Dick huh?" Clark spoke this thought while looking out of the window that resided above the sink. Alfred joined Clark and nodded. Both sending a little prayer for Dick's safe return.


	13. Patience

Dick wasn't sure how long he had been in his new 'bedroom'. A week? Maybe two? But the daily routine remained the same. Dick had learnt a few things here. First his small cell measured 8 paces by 10 paces.

Another, it was always dark when Dick was alone. Dick had always been used to the dark but now he had learnt to distinguish between two different kinds. The first one was one Dick had known all his life. It was a comfortable darkness that somehow could only be described as soft and safe. The otherer was a hard darkness. This let Dick's fears unravel before him and scare him. It was suffocating and isolating and Dick didn't know if he could stand it much longer.

But light brought little comfort. The only time Dick got to see the light was when Deathstroke came. Dick had quickly learnt to associate that artificial white light with pain.

Everyday would be the same. A small hatch in the door would open up and a plate of tasteless food would be pushed in. Dick ate it to keep some energy in his limbs, trying to force himself to be conscious for the rest of the day. When Dick had fallen unconscious during Deathstroke's 'fun time' as Dick liked to call it, he was given a shot of adrenaline which he hated because it made it heart feel as if it was going to burst out of his chest.

Dick had lost a lot of weight while stuck in that little room due to the small amount of food given to him and being unable to move. The chains that suspended Dick in the middle of the room were slackened off when Deathstroke wasn't in the room, allowing him to lie on the floor. But the shackles always remained around Dick's wrists.

Fresh blood had turned flakey and into a rusty brown around Dick's wrists showing his struggles to get out of them. There wasn't a lock to pick so Dick assumed it was magnetic or electronic but even if he could pick them there was nothing to use.

The room was spotless and Deathstroke never left anything behind. Well, the room used to be spotless. The floors where now covered with the stains of Dick's blood and the walls sprayed as well.

Dick's world at the moment consisted of pain and blood.

Each day, the restraints around Dick's arms would rise him up so he was hanging mid air causing Dick's arms to scream with pain. But that was only the start. The door would then open and the mercenary would enter. Slade Wilson. Dick had learnt his name early on as Deathstroke deemed it appropriate that Dick should know something about him.

The sight of Slade sent two kind of emotions through Dick's body. Anger and fear. Anger coursing red hot through his veins in rage. Anger at how Wilson had taken him from everyone and everything he loved and stuck him in the hole for his own personal amusement. But also fear. A fear that made Dick's stomach turn and skin crawl.

Dick had a high tolerance of pain and plenty of scars before hand. But now his body seemed to be barely holding together due to amount of cuts, slices, burns, stabs and holes in him. Some showing only blood, others showing Dick what his muscles really looked liked and how they twitched and moved beneath the surface, and some revealing white bone with skin peeling around it.

Dick was never given enough time to heal. Everyday (or so Dick assumed since time was hard to tell here) Slade would come in and place a few objects on the metal table that resided in the corner of the room and the festivities of the day begun. The objects used varied: thin daggers to slice and peel skin back, long sweeping swords to cut deeply into muscle tissue, a whip had been brought in once which spiked a 50 shades a grey reference. Dick thought it was hilarious, Slade thought it was more 'arious'.

On one occasion Dick was finally able to land a decent blow on Deathstroke using his legs. Dick had been happy to prove he was still fighting back and cause Slade even a little bit of discomfort. It helped prove Dick was alive and not breaking. That he still had hope he could make it out of here.

But Dick's victory was short lived when Deathstroke had returned with a new set of shackles and made Dick drill them into the floor directly below where the shackles dangled from the ceiling. Once Deathstroke was satisfied with Dick's handiwork, he had knocked Dick out. When Dick woke again he found the shackles on the floor now fastened around his ankles. Now when the other shackles rouse him up, he felt the added strain of his body being stretched to his limit. There was no way now he could physically fight back.

Slade never dealt him any bone shattering punishments though. Dick guessed it was because they took too long to heal and Slade wanted to start teaching Dick whenever Dick finally submitted to him.

He could have stopped all of this. The ex-boy wonder could have given up and been allowed about of his dark little hole now coated in his blood. He just had to say what Slade wanted to hear. But Dick was stubborn and a fighter. He didn't want to give into the demands of a mad man.

So each night Dick was left, sprawled on the floor getting acquainted with what ever new wounds he had acquired and thought back to Gotham and Mount Justice. Dick just wanted to go back and say he was sorry. Sorry for not being good enough and letting everyone down. For being a liability. He realised they were all trying to protect him, even in Bruce in his own messed up way.

He just wanted to go home. To hug them all and tell them he loved them.

He regretted his actions and now no one knew where he was. He prayed that the next figure to walk through that door would somehow be Batman. Swooping in and saving him. But at the same time Dick hated him. Hated that Bruce took something important away from him and saw him as worthless.

To be honest, Dick wasn't certain what his feelings were for Bruce were but he wanted a chance to go home and figure it out. However the longer Dick was in this hell hole his old life seemed to fade like an old photograph, being replace with blood stained walls.

Dick's thoughts were interrupted when he heard the groan and then rattle of chains, slowly pulling him up to standing and then dangling him from mid air, the chains around his feet pulling him down and keeping him taut.

He was then greeted with light and Slade. "Ready to address me properly Apprentice?"

Dick looked defiantly back not yet ready to crack. His mind had not yet been as tortured as much as his body. Sarcasm was his only defence left "Keep dreaming Sladie", he said in a sing song way to annoy Slade further, with a little cocky grin in place. It hurt Dick as his jaw was partially swollen, but he refused to show Slade that his soul and will was slowly starting to crack under the torture.

Slade's eye narrowed and slowly pulled out a sharp knife, "Don't worry Richard. I am a patient man".


	14. News of Funerals

**_News broadcast_**

"And thats it from Sports, back to you Catherine".

"Thanks Tom. In other news, Richard John Grayson has just been declared dead today. Ward of America's favourite playboy billionaire Bruce Wayne discovered his son missing four weeks ago. Local police were contacted and were unable to find any evidence of where Richard Grayson was. It wasn't until his bike was discovered a state over from Gotham city. The bike had been vandalised and parts stolen along with a few of the Ward's belongings. But confirmation of his death was confirmed when blood found at the scene was identified as the late Richard Grayson.

The scene suggested a struggle and Grayson's body dumped into the river. Later on police found blood further down the river where it is believed that Grayson somehow managed to drag his body up on the river bank. However the current proved too strong and washed the body away; However leaving behind one of Richard Grayson's most prized possession, the wedding rings of his dead parents covered in his blood. We have been told this possession was kept on a chain Grayson wore all the times and unlikely to have left him willingly.

The amount of blood at the scene indicates that Grayson suffered a great wound but it is unsure of what killed him, the wound or the water. But with the amount of evidence at the scene and the time passed police have officially declared Grayson dead with it being unlikely to find a body.

Our thoughts go out to Richard Grayson's friends and his legal guardian Bruce Wayne.

Later on today we will be looking at how this young boy entered the hearts of the Gotham public due to the devastating event that occurred to Richard Grayson's family, the murder of the Flying Grayson's.

This is Catherine Ross at Gotham News"

* * *

Alfred turned off the TV and turned his focus onto Bruce. Bruce was looking dejectedly out of the window. He hadn't moved since he had heard the police's declaration yesterday. Batman was the one to actually discover the scene and inform the police with a mysterious phone call.

He had deduced the same as the police had, but having it officially declared had somehow shut Bruce down.

He hadn't moved, eaten or spoken. He hadn't even cried.

When Alfred had heard the news from the police he hadn't believed it. Gotham police often made mistakes but upon watching the scene of Commissioner Gordon telling Bruce the news and giving his condolences, Alfred's heart broke. He understood that Bruce already knew, that this was just confirmation for him.

Alfred didn't cry out right. He was British after all and they are well known for their lack of emotions. But once Alfred had retired for the night and slumped on his bed. He lowered his head into his hands and he wept. Dick was like a grandson. A little ray of light in this gloomy house and now it had been extinguished.

The funeral was held a few days after. Though it probably wasn't the best idea most of the superhero community came: Superman, Wonder Women, The Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Black Canary, Green Arrow, Aquaman and Hawkgirl. All in their alto egos and made sure not to draw attentions to themselves.

The Commissioner and Barbra Gordon where also there. Barbra weeping into her father's shoulders not being able to look at the coffin. Crying for the loss of her best friend. Barbra had known that Dick was Robin for only a few weeks, but that made her loss all the more worse for her. She had finally gotten the closest she ever had been to Dick since they had first met. He had trusted her with everything and now he was gone. Barbra had lost her best friend.

Young Justice came as well having been informed of Robin's true identity. None of them really cared though. Their friend was dead and they felt responsible.

Superman was the one who told them that Dick was missing and when questioned he told them about what had transpired between Batman and Robin. He also mentioned that Robin had been having doubts himself. The team quickly gathered that Robin had overheard them and they hadn't really been able to be around each other since then. A wave of guilt smothering them all.

Only Wally hadn't said anything bad about Robin and had actually defended him, but he knew he could have done something more since Dick hadn't felt he could go to him after he ran away.

Once they had heard about the demise of Robin none of them believed it. They had never lost anyone before. Well nothing like this. Nothing that seemed so meaningless. Yet here they were now, all wearing black standing in front of a coffin that was being lowered into the ground next to Dick's four family members.

Megan cried hysterically into Connor's shoulder. Connor wrapping an arm around her and a single tear running down his face. Robin was one of the first humans he met, taught him about bikes, taught him how to meditate and was now the first person he had lost.

Artemis tried to put on a brave face but the little troll had gotten under her skin and her eyes were watering up. Aqualad had his head bowed and was saying a silent Atlantan pray for his friend and fallen hero. And finally Wally.

Wally stood next to Roy. Roy was refusing to cry, having a similar reaction to Artemis, but he had his hand on Wally's shoulder. Wally just watched his best friend's empty casket being lowered into the ground, tears freely flowing down his face.

They listened to the priest say a few words and comment on Dick personally since he knew him. Bruce was meant to speak but he remained silent so Diana stepped in for him. Clark, Alfred, and Pop Harley also spoke about Dick. The whole circus had been asked to join and all of them had refused to miss it. Dick might have left the circus but the circus never left Dick.

They all spoke how Dick was a show man, forever putting on a performance to make people smile and distract them from any problems. But also that he was a problem solver helping someone out in any way he could. Alfred talked about the scared boy who came into their home but quickly opened up and was forevermore sliding down banisters.

When the time came they each took a handful of soil and place it down onto of Dick's coffin and slowly walked away.

A few were invited back to the Manor, but it was a somber mood and not even the speedsters could bring themselves to eat much.

One by one they all left, no one could find Bruce before they left though.

After they left Alfred looked in Bruce's study, then the Batcave trying to find Bruce. A thought struck him in where Bruce could be. He found Bruce sitting on the edge of Dick's bed, tears rolling down his face as he looked down at the object in his hand. It was Dick's necklace with his parents wedding bands on them, still covered in Dick's blood.

* * *

A leather whip cracked though the air and split the tender flesh of Dick back. This made a scream rip from Dicks already coarse voice. He had given up on holding back his whimpers when his back had been reduced to just ribbons of skin and muscle.

Slade hadn't spoken at all this past week. Was it a week? Damn, how long had Dick been here? But Dicks thoughts were too cloudy and he was slowly losing consciousness from the lack of blood. Somehow Slade seemed to have noticed this and went back over to his table of little horrors where he placed the blooded whip and picked up one of his long swords and the god forsaken blow touch.

Dick was vaguely aware of the bright light shining from the corner but his vision was too blurred and he could only make out the vague blending of colours.

After a few moments Slade strode back over and placed the burning steel into Dick's tender back. Dick's back ached away from the heat but their was no mercy or relief. Tears spilled down Dick cheeks. He felt like all of his nerves had been overloaded andthey were sending white hot pain through out his body.

His brain trying to distract him from the pain somehow was able to realise that Slade was actually cauterising the wounds so Dick didn't lose much more blood. Well wasn't he a saint, Dick thought dryly to himself.

But he was reminded of the pain when the metal was pulled away and skin ripped away from the cooling metal. This carried on a few more times.

Dick had long ago given up on talking since his vocal cords having ripped apart. Making the pain of speaking not worth Dick trying to banter and insult Slade. Additionally getting a sentence out proved more amusing for Slade then it did for Dick any way. The only sounds that could be heard were the sounds of splitting muscle, sizzling flesh, and Dick's screams.

That was until Slade stopped hearing a whimper from Dick. "P…please… sto…p… master."


	15. Red Door

Dick hated himself. He hated himself for giving into Deathstroke, but everyone had their breaking points and it seemed stupid to carry on suffering for something so insignificant. What did everyone use to say about sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me. Well Dick was still trying to convince himself of that right now.

The first day Dick was allowed out of his hole he had followed Slade down a hall. The harsh bright lights burned his eyes so he had to keep his gaze low. A few doors down Dick was lead into a room that looked like a medical room. A white sterile environment consisting of cupboards and a medical bed.

Dick stilled at the door but Slade swept through the room and opened a door showing a bathroom next door. "You have 15 minutes to clean your self." Dick hesitated before moving. Slade growing tried of Dick just standing stepped towards him.

The young boy didn't mean to but he flinched. Not wanting to anger Slade any more he moved from his position by the door and walked over to the bathroom. The door closed behind him.

Dick was slow peeling off his clothes. Some wounds still slightly bleeding and others spilt open again from him moving. He stepped into the shower and turned the water up to full power and heat. Letting the water rush over him removing the grim and blood. He grabbed the soap and rubbed it into his body trying to massage his stiff muscles into relaxing.

The water stung against his wounds but Dick didn't care. The water was soothing and he had spent 4 weeks in darkness and dirt.

Dick suspected his time was about to run out so he reluctantly got out of the shower and rubbed him self dry. He looked around him self and found a clean pair of boxes and tracksuit bottoms, both black. He quickly slipped them on grateful not to return to his dirty and shredded clothing.

Unsure of what to do next he opened the door to find Slade was waiting behind. "Sit" Slade nodded his head to the bed indicating Dick to sit down. Dick complied not wanting to go back to his cell just yet for disobedience or what ever Slade considered punishment worthy. His body was still too weak to put up much of a fight anyway.

Dick sat and Slade wordlessly started to rub healing salve into all of Dick's wounds. Dick's back had been ripped to shreds and had third degree burns on them, his arms and legs had a tally of marks up and down them, his chest littered with deep cuts and burns and the burnt 'S' was red and shinny, still healing itself. Dick's wrists and ankles were completed shredded as well, showing his struggles against the manacles. If Dick was finally allowed to heal, his body would mainly be made up of scars now. A permanent reminder of his time here.

Slade had to stitch up a lot of the wounds and wrapped the worst of Dick's wounds in bandages. The raven haired boy tried to contain himself from letting out any whimpers of pain but the odd hiss did escape through his teeth. The only other signs of his internal struggle with dealing with the pain was the whites of his knuckles gripping the side of the bed.

Once Slade was finished he handed Dick a black T-shirt and Dick slipped it on, a little thankful to finally be covered up and have some kind of warmth.

"Come" was all that Slade said and Dick stiffly followed, walking behind Slade as they left the room, going down a hallway and into another room. This one was almost completely bare but huge.

There were no windows and the only feature was the hanging lights from the ceiling. It was a type of wear house or abandon factory but Dick wasn't familiar with it so he knew he wasn't anywhere he had been before. Batman had insisted on Dick learning the layout of any city they travelled to and familiarising himself with important, large or suspicious buildings.

The only thing of major significance in the room was a red, rusty, metal door that stood at the opposite end.

Slade halted in front of Dick and turned around. His intensive gaze felt like he was drilling holes into Dick. The same deep, thick voice that had been tormenting him for days spoke, "The other door in this room leads to the outside world."

This froze Dick in surprise and confusion. Why was Slade telling him this? He was letting Dick in on an important and tantalising piece of information that could only aid Dick in an escape attempt. Right?

"Unlike the other doors it has no lock or key or security of any kind and you may walk through it any time you choose."

Now this had Dick flabbergasted. He had no clue what Slade was playing at but Dick had a feeling it was a very cruel game.

Deathstroke took a step to the side as if indicating he was letting Dick leave. After weeks of torture, lecturing, darkness and then finally submission, the feared Deathstroke was letting Dick… go?

Shocked by Slade's actions Dick was momentarily paralysed. However the urge to walk over to the door slowly grew; to slide it aside and finally see some sky and have some fresh air. The urge to finally be free soon overrode his paralysed and confused state.

Dick clumsily moved forward, stiff from the scabbing of the cuts and the bandages that had been wrapped Dick's body, making his limbs move in rigid and wooden movement compared to his usual grace.

Dick made his way past Slade slowly and on alert; unsure what the man was planning, but as he reached half way across the room Slade spoke again.

"Of course if you do leave I feel it would be necessary to divulge some of the information I have acquired concerning your previous family."

That had Dick stop.

"Son of a bitch" he whispered underneath his breath. Dick slowly turned around and unleashed a stare that would have killed a man if that type of thing was possible. "So let me guess, this is all a test to see how far I am willing to go to protect them, and you'll be forever hanging this over my head to make me do what ever the hell you want." Dick spoke darkly and in a low voice.

"No Richard. I will only use the information I have acquired if you choose to leave. However if you choose to stay this threat will not be used in any other circumstances." Slade spoke slowly as if to make it easier for Dick to understand the conditions of this twisted deal. He was talking to Dick as if he was a child and that made Dick very badly want to punch Slade in the face.

But the truth of the matter was Dick was in no condition to fight. He had had little to no food, his body was screaming from just the little walk into this room and he had been unable to do any proper exercise since he had been here.

Dick only had words now as a weapon and right now even that failed him.

Unable to move further towards the door but refusing to move closer to his captive, Dick's body finally crumpled to the floor. The stress of the last few weeks and now the tantalising door ahead of him was to much for him to cope.

He just wanted to go home. It was only a dozen steps away, but it might as well have been a continent away.

* * *

Alfred wasn't a fan of American tea. It was far too weak and many people drowned it in too much sugar, he was surprised it wasn't just pure sugar. This is why Alfred only drank tea at the manor.

However today he broke that rule, but he wasn't really here for the tea anyway. He was here for the company. This is why Alfred was currently sitting in the corner of a little cafe that was hidden away down an unpopular street. There were a few others in the cafe as well but no one paid attention to another.

Alfred took a sip of his sickly sweet tea and reluctantly swallowed, oh how he longed for a proper Earl Grey. The sound of a bell drew his attention away from the tea and towards the man that just walked in. One of Alfred's long time companions and confidants, Lucius Fox.

Lucius noticed Alfred in the corner and joined him but not before ordering his own black coffee. He sat opposite the elderly butler and placed the news paper he was carrying onto the coffee table.

"How are you Lucius?"Alfred inquired, but he could tell that Lucius was tired as evident from his weary eyes with dark circles underneath and slightly crinkled suit. Not that Alfred looked any better, maybe worse. His suit was immaculate as usual but his face seemed to have aged. Deep worry lines showed across his face and his eyes were slightly red and withdrawn. Lucius was courteous enough not to bring this up though and replied, "I am good Alfred" with a wary smile.

"But I have gathered we have not met to exchange small talk?" Alfred nodded. Although he didn't really know why he had decided to meet with Lucius. The loyal butler was grief stricken from the loss of Dick and his presence was sorely missed at the manor. There was a void of energy and laughter in that gloomy house. Alfred still looked up expecting to see Dick swinging from chandeliers and he kept going to Dick's room to wake him up for school. It had been a while since Dick's funeral but nothing had gotten better. Not that he had expected it to. Not anytime soon anyway.

Batman had reverted back to his pre-Dick days, focusing all of his energy on Batman. Dwelling down in the cave, inventing new gadgets, perfecting techniques and hunting criminals. The whole criminal community had see this change as well as most criminals were sent to hospital before prison.

The Dark knight had had little contact with the League as well, though they had tried to come and see him. However Bruce in his usual manner had refused them all or ignored their presence if they did dare to turn up. The duties Batman carried out assigning missions for Young justice were now handed over to Martian Manhunter.

Bruce however had not reverted back to his playboy ways by day. The news noticed this. He was no longer the fun, loving, playboy Bruce Wayne. He was grief stricken father that now seemed to focus all of his time on Wayne Enterprises.

With all these thoughts circulating around Alfred's head he was unsure how to phrase it Lucius. Ask Lucius perspective on how Bruce was. Though Alfred knew the answer he felt like he needed to talk to another at least.

Fortunately Lucius was a perceptive man and guessed what Alfred wanted to know but couldn't find the words to express.

"Bruce has been focused on work and Wayne Industries at the moment have increased revenues by 14% in the last few months and signed multiple contracts with new companies ranging from computer technology to new energy solutions." Alfred nodded at this, he had seen some of the statics on Bruce's office desk and on TV.

Lucius continued on, "My job has been reduced significantly in responsibilities, however Bruce has become colder and harsher in communication. He's distanced himself from other people and resides in his office instead of inspecting his company first hand, relying mainly on reports via email."

Alfred nodded again, having assumed as much. The behaviour mimicked much of his behaviour at home.

"But… from what I have seen in his moments he thought he was alone, its clear to see he's heartbroken. He's much of the little boy I met when he was 10 years old." Alfred looked at his friend and saw the worry in his face for Bruce.

"It has been much the same at the Manor" Alfred spoke, his voice soft and full of concern, "However I fear there is nothing much we can do to improve this."

They both shared a look, knowing the previous statement to be true. Either Bruce would move on or he would… he would… they didn't know. Self-destruct?

One of the waitress brought over Lucius's coffee and he thanked her. He took a sip and readjusted himself in his chair to get more comfortable. Alfred had decided to give up on his tea and was content to observe the steam curling from the top and fading off into the air.

Lucius sensed the sadness radiating off of Alfred. He knew the man worried too much for Bruce. Worrying for Bruce had been much of Alfred's life, but Alfred was in no condition to help someone grieving when he was still grieving himself. It looked like it was time for Lucius to lend an arm for Alfred. But what words or actions could really help?

Lucius could fix any computer or invent any gadget but he understood that people where no so easily fixed. So Lucius did the best thing he could do for right now. Try and distract Alfred and keep him concentrated on the real world, not his memories, fears, worries, thoughts.

"This caught my eye today", Lucius placed his coffee back down and unrolled the newspaper that was on table. The headline read, 'New Bat on the Block?' and the picture showed a faint shadow entering an alley way. The article was about how some muggings and attacks had been stopped by an unknown figure. Alfred had his suspicions though.

"What do you know about this new figure," Alfred enquired refusing to say 'new bat' like the poorly written article had.

"They are obviously inexperienced and in over their heads." Lucius commented not wanting to give all his cards away yet. So Alfred decided to reveal his, "It's Barbara Gordon is it not?"

Lucius nodded. "It seems Mr Grayson's death has inspired her to take action. I'm assuming she knew the truth about whose Gotham's dark heroes were?" Alfred felt his heart ache slightly with the mention of Master Richard. He of course knew Barbara had figured it out, not much escaped the Butler's watchful gaze. "Indeed" he responded to confirm Lucius thoughts.

"She can fight but it is very sloppy and ineffective. I've whipped several security cameras to hide her identity." Alfred nodded, not that surprised. Lucius was always one to protect people.

"Bruce refuses to acknowledge her existence and has informed her to stop. However she was always a rebellious spirit." Alfred said letting a small smile slip. Alfred had always admired the fire the red head possessed. He wasn't sure if he approved of what Barbara was doing but understood why she was.

"Well, if she is stubborn enough to carry on this route then someone will have to step in soon and help her. Preferably Batman."

Alfred nodded but they both knew what the other was thinking. Bruce was in no shape to help another nevertheless introduce them into the world of crime fighting.

The two lapsed into silence, unsure of what to speak of. Once Lucius coffee was growing colder he finally asked the question he had wanted to say from the beginning. "How are you doing Alfred?" concern lacing each word.

Alfred looked at his old friend, "I am afraid I cannot speak of my feelings for fear of showing myself too weak." Alfred replied. Alfred was a strong man. Maybe the strongest in Gotham, but these last months had been filled with misery and silence, and Alfred had no clue how to change that.


	16. Lessons To Learn

A rush of air left Dick's lungs as he was shoved back against the cold concrete again. Instead of getting straight up Dick gave himself a minute to recompose himself. Blue eyes stared up at the bare ceiling focusing on odd spots where the colour changed or there was a mark.

Dick couldn't believe this is what his life had resorted to.

He had gotten used to the new routine of his day to day life. He would wake up, eat what ever was pushed through the door, then be let out of his room, warmed up, fight some of Slade's robots, eat again, learn a new weapon or skill, train with Slade (that one involved a lot of bruises), eat again, - and if he had behaved well enough - allowed to shower. And at the end of the day he was chained up and somehow Dick would fall asleep.

His training was slow at first. Still healing from the tortures he had acquired in his first month. The scars that now covered Dick's body were rather alarming, and Dick couldn't face seeing himself in a mirror. Seeing the broken little boy staring back.

The mercenary had started Dick's training learning the basics. It had actually been a bit embarrassing for Dick to fumble over simplistic moves. Moves that he had mastered years ago, but to be fair his body felt alien to him and after all of his 'punishments' it properly was quite new in some sense.

Nonetheless after a few mess ups Dick got back into the rhythm of things and progressed quickly. He had been taught by one of the world's masters for over 6 years after all.

However the young boy realised why Slade was reteaching him from the beginning. It was to try and overrule the muscle memory Dick already had. Batman had taught him how to take down an opponent but inflicting the least amount of pain. How to reduce them as a threat but not kill them. Slade was a very different teacher. Instead of delivering a punch to the chest Dick was retaught to punch them in the throat. Instead of a swift kick to the side and cracking a few ribs it would be a skull cracking or spine shattering attack.

In these first few lessons Dick resisted and refused to do it as Deathstroke instructed. This had lead Deathstroke dragging the small boy back to his black cell, strung him up and having a little quality time with a very shape knife.

Once Slade felt Dick couldn't scream any more, he would be was unceremoniously dumped onto the floor and left alone in the dark waiting for his tormenter to return to either grant further punishment or clemency.

Dick hated it. He hated how his life was micromanaged. What was worse for most of the day he was in the same room with that teasing red door promising freedom. But he would stay if it kept his family protected. Safe and not hunted. The only silver lining Dick could find about the situation was that Slade had kept his word and never used the information about Dick's family to control him in here. Dick thought that might have been because it would have been too easy then, Slade wanted a challenge.

The only thing Dick actually enjoyed about his life now was fighting back against Slade. Even though rebellious behaviour meant pain, blood and scars; Dick liked fighting back. It proved he was still alive and was hopefully going to die with his beliefs.

Dick knew he would never win in an actually physical fight against the renowned assassin. Yeah he could put up a decent fight fight against Slade but one way or another he would end back on the floor, dealing with what ever new pain had arisen.

It felt good though resisting Slade however he could. Pushing Slade so much the only thing the feared man could do was to resort to dragging Dick back to his 'loverly' bedroom and then left bleeding and shackled. The mercenary giving the overused lecture of how Dick just needed disciplining and once Dick was an obedient and loyal apprentice only then could he start to be perfected.

The unwilling apprentice could handle the punishments though. His body was getting stronger from each punishment and the pain somehow didn't feel as bad because it gave him something to concentrate on.

However Dick was finding pain wasn't the worst thing though. It was when Dick was left alone in the dark of his room. The dark that used to be a comforting blanket now scared him. For some reason now when Dick was left alone in the dark his mind started to spiral. Trapped in thought. Thinking was becoming a curse for Dick. Its not like there was a lot to distract him in that bleak existence. Only memories and the voices they contained were there, and unfortunately Dick most recent memories of his past life weren't exactly highlights.

Voices reminding him why he left and why he should feel betrayed. But also blaming Dick for not being good enough and getting into this mess with his supposed new Master. Batman could have gotten out of this. Huh…. Batman. That was a whole other can of worms.

The sound of metal feet approaching drew Dick out of thoughts. He could hear one of Slade's robots approaching, and quickly calculated where abouts it was in the room.

'One…Two..Three' Dick counted in his head. When he believed the robot was just by his feet, he quickly pushed himself across the floor so he was closer to the robot, then twisted his body so each leg struck out hitting both legs of the robots.

The robot fell unnaturally fell to its knees. Dick meanwhile fluidly performer a hand-spring to his feet and deliver a kick to the robots head. It went flying and landed across the room. Small, harmless sparks flew and the crippled robot fell to the ground.

Dick too absorbed in the scene in front of him, didn't notice the almost silent footsteps behind him.

"You're improving apprentice" a velvet like voice purred out, while placing a cold hand on Dick's shoulder. The younger boy practically jumped out of his skin, not so much from surprise but for wanting to move away as quickly as possible.

The young boy was quickly reprimanded for his action with a fierce slap to side of his head. Dick's head slapped to the side and he was pretty sure that there was going to be a hand print later on.

Dick kept his gaze low trying to look submissive, but it wasn't particularly working since his fists where curled and his jaw clench.

The ex-boy wonder was in dangerous ground here. Slade wasn't one to look kindly in any sign of rebellion and Dick wasn't quite ready yet to go back to the dark. This was really the only reason Dick obeyed what little he did. To get out of that suffocating darkness; to not be lost and forgotten.

But Dick also saw the dangers in his slow submission. He saw himself cracking each day just a little bit more. Bending to Slade's will, and it wasn't so much the fierce blows that Dick feared only second to the dark now. It was the gentle soft touches. Having been deprived for so long of any form of compassion, Dick was craving affection.

When Dick realised who was briefly being kind to him with praise or a hand on the shoulder Dick quickly lashed out. Slade wasn't going to become a parental or any sort of figure for the teenager. But the young boy saw what Slade was doing each day. The mercenary was slowly, painfully slowly, reconditioning Dick's mind and Dick didn't really know how long he could resist for. The only thing he knew for sure was that he was going to put up a hell of a fight.

Thinking about this, Dick quickly raised his gaze to meet the singular metallic eye.

"Apprentice I just gave you a compliment. What do you say when you're given a compliment?"

The black haired boy stayed completely still. Determined not to give in. Slade relaxed a bored breath. Upon seeing the boy was not going to comment he struck his foot out. It connected to Dick's knee. Another blow was administrated to his solar pelxis sending Dick sprawled on the floor.

Slade stood above him and gentle place his steeled boots on Dick's open hand. When Dick still remanded silently Slade slowly started to apply pressure. The boy gritted his teeth determined to hold in his whimpers, but the pressure was growing greater by the second. Bones slowly grinding against each other and getting pushed against the ground.

A resounding snap echoed in the hollow room, and Dick gasped deeply in an attempt to keep a small scream in. But Slade did not let up any pressure. Not until he heard what he wanted.

"What do you say when you're given a compliment Richard?"

Dick tried to gather his voice again, "Th…Thank…you" he said between clenched teeth. However Slade did not let up on the pressure on the boy's crushed hand.

Dick let out a whimper. "Thank you Master", a tense voice escaped Dick's lips and soon the pressure on his hand was gone.

The blue eyed boy quickly pushed himself up and away from his captor, cradling his inured hand to his chest.

"See that wasn't so hard was it" the black and orange mercenary purred out. He his gaze landing on the cradled hand. "You better get that seen to boy."

With that the man left. Dick slowly placed his forehead against the floor, still cradling his hand careful not to jostle it. He took deep meditating breaths adjusting to the pain blossoming in his hand.

Yeah… Dick really didn't know how long he could fight for. He wasn't sure how long he could stay true to himself. Slade was slowly corrupting Dick's standards and morals, and he had no clue what the next lesson would push him to do.

* * *

Barbara watched the luminous green numbers of her clock slowly change and waited until it read 10:45. When they finally sifted to that number she quickly scrambled off her bed and went over to her wardrobe.

She pulled out her makeshift costume. Not much of a costume really, it was just a par of black, flexible trousers, black top with the Batman logo on it (brought of some fan website), black hoodie and a black mask that she found in a fancy dress shop. But hey what was she supposed to do? She was poor and a teenager. Not everyone has the luxury of resources and funds.

She roughly pushed her hair back into a messy bun and popped the hood of her jacket up. She quietly opened up her window and climbed up the fire escape, making sure not to wake up her dad. As she reached the roof she sucked in the cold air, already feeling the adrenaline pumping through her body. She couldn't wait to get out.

She looked across the roof and at the another one and took a deep breath. Barbara was good at gymnastics and did some fighting classes that her father had insisted on, but she was still working on street running.

The red head started to run towards the edge of the roof and then lept into the air. As her feet touched the floor of the other roof she rolled onto her shoulder and then sprung up, bouncing on her feet.

She felt a full blown grin stretch across her face. She wasn't used to 'flying' yet and her stomach still turned over when she jumped across rooftops, from building to building. But she was getting better at it. The first few attempts had left a lot of bruises, followed by some very unconvincing lies to her father in why she was walking so weirdly.

As she turned around again to start her nightly patrol she bumped into a solid black body that left her sprawling on the ground. She looked up to see the big, bad Batman looming over her and she tried not to gulp to show that he did infact intimate her.

"Where are you going…Batgirl?" a low, gravelling voice spoke, and the word 'Batgirl' was accented by annoyance and anger. But Barbara Gordon wasn't one to be intimated. She quickly recomposed her self and got to her feet.

"Hey it's not my fault thats what the news is calling me. I was hoping for a more original name myself" Barbara stated placing her hands on her hips, showing she was not threatened by him, "And you know perfectly well what am doing".

Batman did react to her comments. He expressed no emotions. He was just an unmoving, black wall, "No. you're going back home Barbara", he growled out.

Barbara rolled her eyes. They had had this conversation before, but no one told her what she was to do. She was doing this for herself. She was sick of crying over her friend and decided to take action. To honour his life and his memory by doing what he once did. It wasn't just that. Dick might have been the last straw that had pushed her from being a bystander to a nightly vigilantly, but he was by no means the first.

Barbara was done being little, scared school girl who couldn't help anyone. Who could even help her best friend. Or her mother. Barbara quickly shook her head not wanting to think about the past and stopping that train of thought.

The young vigilantly took a step back from the dark knight and then sprinted over to the next rooftop, shouting over her shoulder, "If you want to stop me you'll have to catch me" and with that she lept into the air and summersaulted onto the next roof.

She looked back over and saw that Batman had vanished. She let a sigh out. She really wanted to learn how to do that.

* * *

Dick had just finished taking down four of Slade's robots with the katana he was getting scarily good at, but he still stumbled a little bit as acrobatics and sharp things were a hard mixture to balance. He had the cuts to prove that.

The black haired boy heard the almost none existence sound of Slade's footsteps and quickly turned around and kneeled on one knee, head bowed.

Dick gritted his teeth as Slade approached resisting the urge to lunge out and attack him. Slade stood over Dick gloating over the power he held.

A box that Slade had been carrying was dropped in front of Dick, "Open it". Dick obeyed and slowly opened the box, knowing nothing good lay inside. Once he glimpsed the inside he pushed the box across the room but was met with a resounding smack across the face. Dick fell to the side, fresh pain sprung across Dick's cheek.

"Now now apprentice nothing to be scared of. Just a harmless little gun" Slade said condescendingly.

"Funny last time I checked that thing killed people." Dick replied not able to hold his tongue. This resulted in another slap.

"Respect Apprentice is one thing you still need to learn." Slade replied in a cold voice. Dick held back another retort but refused to move from his position in the floor.

Slade huffed out a breath in annoyance and wove his gloved hands into Dick's inky black locks. He gripped painfully tight and pulled Dick's hair back so he had to stare up at the man. "Funny, didn't think Bruce was such a fool to instil fear in you over a harmless weapon."

Dick's eyes narrowed into slits. Slade loved gloating over any failures of Bruce. He didn't even call him Batman anymore and each time he said Bruce's name it tugged at Dick's heart stings.

However Dick remained still not being able to do much on his knees and head pulled uncomfortably back, throat exposed. "He taught me its who holds the gun who's dangerous, any idiot can pull a trigger".

Slade smiled at this and it sent shivers down Dick's spine, "Seems he wasn't a complete imbecile". Before teenager could retort he was pulled to his feet and pushed towards the box where the gun sat.

Dick stared down at it, not wanting to pick it up. "No need to be scared Dick just pick it up and shoot. Thats all you need to do today". Dick hesitated now wanting to pick up the gun but knowing what would happen if he didn't.

He heard Slade exaggerated exhale, trying to annoy Dick into retaliation. When he received known he spoke again, "Richard your parents weren't killed by bullet. They smashed into the floor and yet you still fly around don't you? Even though thats how you parents died".

Dick spun around, full of hatred for Slade even mentioning his parents, "Don't you dare talk about them! They were good people!"

"Then fire the gun Richard".

Dick tried to recollect himself. He turned back to the gun and slowly picked it up. He didn't want to shoot it but he couldn't stand it when Slade talked about his parents. It didn't seem right for murderer to talk about good people in such a casual way. As if he knew them

Dick looked down at the cold metal in his hands and looked around to where he was meant to shoot. He briefly thought about shooting Slade but he knew had no clue what his aim was like and though Dick hated him, he couldn't kill any one. That was one rule he would not break.

Dick eyes landed on one of Slade's robots that must of come in at some time and Slade nodded showing Dick was right in his assumption that was what he was aiming at.

Dick rose the gun, aimed and fired.

Thats when a new thought slide into Dick's mind. Bruce had killed Robin, Boy Wonder and now Slade was slowly killing Dick Grayson.

* * *

 _AN. Yeah just want to thank for guys for all the support I've received. Promise the next chapter will be up soon and thanks for being patent for this one. Hope you enjoyed it! Please review xx_


	17. Define 'Saved'

**_Chapter 17: Define 'Saved'_**

Barbra had gotten used to some weird things since she started her nightly escapades. However never had she expected to receive an email from the man behind the curtain, Lucius Fox. Nonofficial but well known CEO of Wayne Industries and technological mastermind of the 21st century.

She definitely did not expect for said email to be requesting if she was available to see him on Wednesday the 21th at 5:30 to discuss certain 'matters'.

Needless to say Barbra was nervous. She had seen the man at some charity balls and snobby rich people events. The events she was dragged to because she was the Commissioner's daughter. However she had at the most exchanged only a few words with the highly respected Lucius Fox.

Lucius Fox's name was the type of the name where you needed to say the first and last name. Other wise it just sounded weird and almost too casual for a man of such high calibre. And lets face it… it was a pretty cool name.

Barbra's school finished at four o'clock but she had gymnastics practise until 5. So afterwards she had to quickly change and then sprint across the city to the Wayne Industries building. It was hard to miss. It was the tallest, shiniest building with the capital letters of WAYNE across it.

She had told her dad she was meeting up with her friends, because he would get far too suspicious if he knew the truth of who she was truly meeting with. In fact she was suspicious. Why the heck did Lucius Fox want to meet her!?

The red head girl entered the shiny building and walked over to the front desk where a visitors card was already waiting for her and was instructed to go to the 84th floor. While waiting in the elevator Barbra's nerves skyrocketed as she fiddled with her clothing and ran a hand throw her wild red hair.

Once the elevator doors opened she made her way to the only office on this floor. Apparently Lucius Fox needed a whole floor to himself.

She hesitantly knocked on the door and then heard, "Come in". She slowly opened the surprisingly heavy door and saw Mr Fox rising from his chair, hand extended in a greeting.

"Miss Gordon so good to finally meet you" he said warmly. Barbra quickly shook the offered hand, "It's really my pleasure Mr Fox"

Lucius smiled warmly, "Please call me Lucius."

Barbra smiled but didn't say anything cause she was pretty sure she wouldn't manage saying only Lucius.

The greying man indicated for Barbra to sit in a seating area with a wave of his hand.

Lucius sat opposite her and poured them both a glass of water which she gratefully expected.

"Mr Lucius… I'm sorry to be rather blunt but what am I doing here?"

Lucius let out another laugh, his smile causing wrinkles to form around his eyes. "Honesty and bluntness is something we share in common. Not to mention a little secret about Gotham's night."

Barbra tried to keep the smile that was on her face but it faulted. 'Shit' she thought to her self but carried on, rather convincing Lucius noted. But not good enough, he did deal with shark lawyers and greedy men on a day to day basis, not to mention the masked Batman.

The red head tried to over her blunder, "I'm afraid the only nightly secrets I know is that my father rather likes his coffee's Irish by that time."

Lucius clapped his hands together, "Good, you're reasonably talented in the art of lying, but as a friendly tip I would advise you not to clench your left hand in the future."

Barbra looked down to see that her hand was indeed clenched. Shaking her hand out she was about to speak again but was beaten to the punch.

"Miss Barbra I would never ask you to reveal the secrets that have been entrusted to you or the ones you have decided to create for yourself. However I could advise you get better in hiding them."

Lucius never broke eye contact her when he spoke and Barbra wasn't going to be the one to blink first in this contest. "Mr Lucius, what are you implying?".

"My dear you have nothing to fear from me. I believe we do share some of the same secrets."

Barbra raised one of her eyebrows, "Really?" she spoke confidently and then reached her glass and took another sip of water from it. Barbara was know for never being one to blink in a staring contest. This was something Lucius acknowledged. He'd been around too many stubborn headed mules to tell when he was talking to one.

"Miss Barbra you are a very talented women and I understand you are seeking some help and guidance from a rather pig headed man." Barbara slowly nodded her head, still not revealing anything that Lucius wasn't saying. "Well until then I would like to educate you in some areas that I am more proficient in."

Barbara's eyes widened, but she tried to control any other reaction from showing on her face. But holy hell! If she was understanding what Lucius was offering her or implying. This was the man at the forefront of technology and computer knowledge and if Barbara was reading this right this man was offering to share some of that knowledge.

She knew what this meant. She might not be able to become the crime kicking badass she wanted. Punching guys and flipping around but this was a good second. She would be technological savvy and that deeply appealed to her. She could become a source of information for herself and get some real information about criminals and what ever. She would be like the oracles of old who knew all the answers. It might prove herself it finally persuade a certain Bat to become the ass kicker she wanted to take to a whole new level.

And lets face it she knew she was lacking in the gadgets and computer area.

Barbara finally stared at Lucius Fox. He seemed completely comfortable at this moment and Barbara had no doubt in mind that Lucius knew all the secrets of Gotham. But a question popped up in her mind.

"Why? Why help a complete stranger that you've never really met? Why not convince me to take a less risky route, heaven knows my father would."

Lucius considered her words carefully, collecting the right words in his head to reply. "Miss Gordon, I have no doubt that what drives you to act in the night is because of the pain you have experienced in the past." Barbara slightly broke eye contact at this point as water started to blur her vision. It was still painful to think about Dick. Her best friend. Her only truly honest and loyal friend.

But it wasn't just that. It was the pain from her mother's death. Her mother was involved in a needless hit and run and the criminal never caught. Barbara was 14 at the time and she had to learn how to be a teenager by herself. Sure her dad was there but you can't really ask your dad on mascara tips. Dick was the tipping point of her to no longer be a by stander and finally take action.

"I have seen this pain in others and know it cannot be stopped. The best I can hope for is to help as much as I can and hope the path you have choosen for yourself is a long one for it will not be a safe one. I hope you understand that."

Barbara looked Lucius back into his deep brown eyes and knew the decision was a no brainer. "Mr Lucius I would love to become your pupil."

* * *

Dick entered the room about to begin another day in hell, only to be stopped in his tracks.

Two people, an elderly man and a young women where tied and kneeling on the floor in the middle of the room with Slade hovering close by. The young boy tried to guess what was going on but none of his thoughts were leading to particular friendly ideas.

Slade watched his apprentice's initial reaction and then walked to the side of the frozen boy.

The older man unholstered his gun and held it out to his apprentice. The black haired boy recoiled from the gun slightly. Dick had progressed quickly with a gun. More so then he would have liked. But Dick knew there comes a time when silhouette images and robots had to be replaced with the real thing, and Dick sure as hell was not going to make that transition as Slade wished.

"Apprentice kill one".

Dick backed up further from the man. His eyes slowly calculating what to do. A dozen possible schemes coming to mind to then be quickly dismissed, trying to figure out a way to save the people in front of him.

"Kill one of them, and the other one may leave alive. If you do not choose I will kill them both Apprentice."

Slade could see the young boy was turning over the possibilities of what to do in his head. The assassin knew this was going to happen. He was asking Dick not only to kill a person but to choose who to kill. Who was more worthy of being saved.

All was silent. The tension in the room could have cut with a knife.

That was until Dick hurled him self at Slade and knocked the gun out of Slade's hand and then gave a solid blow to his head. The mercenary was momentarily caught off with the speed Richard's attack that he stumbled trying to clear his vision slightly from the blow.

Once he recomposed himself he saw his apprentice had scrambled over to the women and was attempting to untie her so she could run away. Slade pulled out one of his smaller side arms and shot Richard in the calf. Richard crumpled to the floor as the bullet sliced through muscle. Dick shouted any word that came to his mind, but Slade choose to ignore his apprentice's pleads and threats and fired to more shots. Each one with deathly precision.

"You fucking bastard!" Richard yelled. Slade turned and levelled his eye on Richard who was sprawled on the floor with a mixture of his own blood and the young women next to him. Slade slowly approached him and Richard attempted to crawl backwards but to no prevail.

Grabbing a handful of black locks, the mercenary started to pull Richard out of the room and down the hallway. The little boy tried to resist but Slade was singular in mind. He threw Richard into the room were he crashed into the wall and fell to the ground.

While he was momentarily winded Slade restrained him and pushed a button on his gauntlet that activated the chains. Once Richard was up and almost eye level with Slade he let out his best death glare. It was cute, Slade thought to himself, like a kitten trying to roar.

"You're a fucking monster" Richard said but it came out slightly airy as he was still winded. Slade lent forward so he was close to his apprentice, "Only when I have to be".

Slade slowly started to circle his apprentice as if he was a puzzle that needed to be solved. Though the feared mercenary didn't let it show he was getting restless at this point. Dick had been going through months of slow brain washing and beatings but still only some of his personality traits had changed. And unfortunately the self sacrificing hero complex was not one of them.

Really the only major change was that instead of fully heard sarcastic comments they had dwindled down to snarky grumblings. But Richard still stood resolute in his morals and fought Slade on most fronts. Slade was surprised he was still having to use such regular daily beating at this point.

For the first time in Slade's career he was unsure of how to proceed to a successful solution with his unwilling apprentice.

He stopped and observed Richard from the side who was staring defiantly forward, not showing any fear at what was to come. This made Slade curl his fists at the boys resolution to continually oppose him.

"I thought you had learnt your place Richard. You could have saved a life today but instead you condemned two. How is that justice?"

Richard continued to look forward and stayed silent. Calm and stoic without a fear, even though he was wounded, bloodied and chained. It made Slade see red.

He strode over again and slammed his fist into Richards stomach and them another to his chin. He harshly grabbed his throat and was so close that their noses were almost touching. "Answer me apprentice."

Richard slammed his head into Slade's who took a step back to steady himself but his hand still grasped the boys throat. It seemed that the head butt caused more damage to Richard who seemed to be seeing stars.

But once he regained his composure, he defiantly looked back at Slade. "Cause I'm not you Apprentice Sladie" He had that crooked smile on his face again, "You can train me and make me your little pet all you want but I'll never be like you. I will never kill someone as long as I can save them. I was raised better than that".

The iron grip around Dick's neck tightened. His windpipe was slowly being crushed and the young boy was gasping for air. His vision blackening around the edges, and for a moment he was terrified by the thought that his last moments would be staring at a bloody eye match in a room covered in his blood.

However all of the sudden the pressure was gone and Dick greedily sucked in breaths. But the torment was far from over. A blow connected with Dick's diaphragm that pushed all the oxygen Dick had just gained out again. Another blow connected with the bullet wound that was still bleeding excessively. The third blow landed on the smaller boy's strained shoulders that was holding his weight, almost making his shoulder pop out of its socket. The fourth blow actually achieved this.

The blows, punches and kicks continued on with no let up in force or power. For the next ten minutes Dick become a human punching bag for Slade's little temper tantrum.

But through out all of this the blue eyed boy never let out a cry, scream or moan of his pain. He never said a word to appease Slade to stop his torment.

Slade would have continued his beating but he noticed Dick was starting to lose consciousness and he would prefer to fall into black oblivion then submit to Slade again. It looked like Slade might have pushed Dick too had in his training, and killing was one thing Dick would always fight again.

'Well that won't do' the black and orange mercenary said to himself.

He leant closely to Richard, who did slighting flinch believing another hit was coming his way, but instead he heard the velvet smooth voice say, "I'll make you a promise Apprentice, you will become the thing you hate."

Dick tried to keep his breathing slow to mask his fear but it didn't work very well.

Very slowly and deliberately Slade walked behind Richard and removed a very sharp knife from a holster in his leg. He slowly ripped off his Apprentice's fabric shirt, revealing the colouring of skin to yellows, purples and blues bruises.

Taking his time Slade placed the knife on Richard's top left shoulder blade and sliced the shape of the letter into the tender flesh. Cutting deep into the muscle to be sure that it scared.

After all 8 letters were carved in down the length of Richard's back, Slade stepped back and admired his work. He saw that there was a slight layer of sweat that now coated Richard and he had bitten into his lip to hold back his screams. Blood dripped down his chin landing onto his chest. Mixing in with the salt water that was also dripping down Richard's face. Leaking from behind closed eyes.

'Much better' Slade thought to himself and left Richard alone in the darkness.

Slade walked down the brightly lit halls until he opened a door to a small room that held a metallic table and several large computer screens covering a whole wall and a consul that laid beneath. However it was the man in the immaculate three piece suit sitting very comfortably on the chair adjacent to the control panel. His eyes were on the screen that showed a young boy bleeding and bruised.

"Interesting technique Slade but it doesn't seem to be working particularly well does it?"

No one talked to Slade like that. No one that expected to live long afterwards anyway. However there is always an exception to the rule. In this case it was an elderly man with silver hair and soft blue eyes that went to the name of William Wintergreen. Wilson's long life and only friend.

They had met in the army and it wasn't hard to deduce that Wintergreen still considered himself a solider due to his ridged posture and the gun concealed within a holster underneath his jacket. However most people would ask the question… which war was he fighting now?

Slade grunted, in no mood to articulate his annoyance about the situation. True he had chosen the protege of Batman for many of the talents he possessed one of them being resilience, but Wilson had never thought it would take this long to break the boy. It had taken him a month to finally call Slade master and it was now getting close to a year and not much progress had been achieved since then. The boy's morals seemed to be ingrained too deep.

The mercenary moved across the room, intending to sit on the chair the elder was currently residing in. Wintergreen, reading this, moved from his position and stood to the side. As Wintergreen straightened his jacket, Slade sat down and rested his elbows against the computer board.

The older man could read his friend like a book and could see Slade was running out of ideas on how to convert the young boy. In all honesty Wintergreen was surprised that the boy had lasted this long, but it just showed Slade he had indeed chosen a high calibre boy to be his apprentice. No less was to be expected from the previous partner of Batman. The only person the dark knight choose to fight side by side with.

"You need a new angle to look at things Wilson," Wintergreen observed.

"That's not the problem Wintergreen. The boy is stubborn and cocky. He see's himself as my better. I just need him to kill to change that however he claims he will not if there is chance of saving them."

"Perhaps it is for more selfish reasons. He wants to save himself from what he had been taught is worse then death. However the need to save another runs deep with in him. You need to change the situation were this instinct can be channelled in a different way.

Wilson nodded slowly at this comment. His friend was always wise when it came to his observation of people. Something Slade could do as well but not to his extent. Years had told Wintergreen how be empathic but remain detached.

"Mmmm…. He had convinced him self I am the monster and himself as a helpless bystander. " Slade said allowed more to himself them the other occupant in the room. The wheels in his head slowly starting to turn.

Then it all clicked in his head. A plan formed. It was all rather simple really. Richard simply needed to change his definition of what it meant to save someone.


	18. Grief

_A.N. Heya hope you all are enjoying it so far! Oh and just for clarification - since I got a couple of comments saying they were confused :( - I purposefully left out what the word was that was carved into Dick's back. It will be revealed in a later chapter so for now you are as clueless as Richard is to what the word may be. But I'm hoping some of you will guess what the word is. The clues so far are 1) it's eight letters long and b) its what Deathstroke wants Dick to become... dun dun dun!_

 _Anyway the misery continues... oh and thanks for all the support! Please make my day and review!_

* * *

The black haired boy had no sense of time in his little hell hole. He had no idea of the amount of time he spent hanging in his chains. He did know that his shoulder was in serious pain from being dislocated and still having to hold his weight up. He could see his skin was a multitude of colours that made him look like some sort of piece of modern artwork. He was aware that tears leaked down his face and had mingled with glossy red blood from his mouth. But more importantly he did know that two people had just died because of him.

Granted Dick could be saying, 'No, Deathstroke killed them. It wasn't your fault. You tried.' But Dick couldn't. He had tried but what the hell was the point in trying when you were always guarantee to fail. And the more he thought about it, the more of a failure he saw himself.

He had failed to tell his parents about a suspicious man leaving the circus tent. He had failed to stop Two-Face beating the crap out of him and letting the man who was being held captive drown. He had failed to prevent Joker from nearly shooting him to death. He had failed being a worthy member of his team. He had failed Batman by always getting in the way and getting injured. He had failed. Everything. Everyone.

Dick realised he was being slowly lowered to the ground, but instead of trying to stay standing up he just let himself flop down. His body was done. His mind was done. And he wasn't sure about his soul yet.

Did it even matter anymore what Dick wanted. Why was he even here? Oh yeah cause he was protecting a family who didn't even want him. Who hadn't even come to save him yet. Did they just forget about him?

In the first months Dick was able to push that thought to the back of his mind. But as time dragged that thought become stronger and slowly started to take up more room in Dick's mind. Drawing attention to its self until it had become a flashing neon sign. That thought wouldn't quieten down. Dick's old family didn't want him and now they didn't even have to coup with him.

A rattling and clinking drew Dick's attention away from his thoughts. Looking down he saw his hands were shaking. From the cold, shock or exhaustion he did not know. But looking down he saw that his hands and legs were covered in blood, but just not his. The women who Slade had killed. The women who Dick failed to rescue.

In a blind panic the young boy tried wiping his hands on his pant's leg to remove some of the blood, but only a few specks flaked off. He couldn't get rid of it. He tried removing as much of the red blood as he could but to no avail. Tears leaked from his eyes and dropped onto the stained hands and slightly helped removing some of the red liquid.

After some time when his body started to shut down from pain and exhaustion Dick just curled up in a tight ball, reopening the fresh cuts on his back, but Dick didn't care. After some time he somehow fell unconscious with tears still streaming down his face.

* * *

Wally had just been going through the passes these past few months. He went to school every day and exchanged banter with his friends, helped his Uncle Barry out a little and sometimes went to Mount Justice.

But everyone could tell he wasn't being himself. His banter was half hearted, he didn't volunteer to help Barry like he use to and the times he did go to the mountain were for missions which were few and far between. None of them went well.

A huge distance had grown between everyone on the team and it seemed to be remaining. Megan was either crying or things were flying across the room in anger. Superboy spent most of the time in the gym, pounding out his feelings. Those two looked close to breaking up as the only times they spoke was when they were arguing.

Artemis had become more snappish and blunt, not really caring if she hurt anyones feelings. Aqualad spent more time in Atlantis and when he was on land he was either withdrawn or rude which was very out of character.

Wally couldn't stand being around them. They were all carrying the grief of Robin's death and placing blame on themselves. So Wally did what he did best. He ran away from the situation and only went to mountain when he had to.

He was either at school, in his house or at Dick's grave. Wally missed Dick desperately. They were best friends and Wally couldn't believe he hadn't been there for Dick when he really needed someone. Dick had been there for him when the whole thing with his dad blew up. He had even stayed over for Wally's first night at Barry's house, keeping him distracted and laughing.

Wally wasn't the care free person he once was. He had matured and become more withdrawn. Barry and Iris had tried talking to him but he didn't want to talk and always made up excuses to leave. Barry and Iris were worried but there wasn't anything they could really do to help the pain of losing a friend. But they did have one last resort.

Wally was leaving school when he saw a beaten up red truck outside the school gates. A red head was reclining next to it trying to look intimating and dangerous. Wally only saw a puppy trying to act like a wolf.

"Hey Roy" Wally called out as he approached him. Roy waved back and opened up the door to the truck, "Get in" he said light heartedly. They both got in and the truck pulled away from the curb and started to make its way downtown towards Wally's house.

"So to what do I owe this pleasure?" Wally asked with a grin on his face, but his grin wasn't as radiant as is used to be. However he was really happy to see Roy. He hadn't seen him since the funeral and that had been months ago.

"Okay, I'm not going to beat around the bush", Roy said in his usual blunt honesty, "Barry called me cause he's worried about you."

Wally sighed and looked out of the side window watching the trees outside and thinking about how fast they seemed to move past as Roy drove speedily by them.

"Don't ignore me Wally". Wally didn't comment. Roy quickly glances at him but returned his gaze to the road ahead.

"I know you're hurting Wally, I know you miss Dick. Heck you don't think I don't miss him too!"

"How would I know I haven't seen you in months!" Wally snapped back glaring at Roy before returning his gaze to the window and refused to let any tears spill even though he felt them building in his eyes.

"You're right I haven't been here." Roy said quietly. It was so anti-Roy behaviour that Wally had to make sure this was the real Roy. Roy caught onto what Wally was thinking with a quick glance his way, "Yes I am the same Roy that you've known since you were 12" he said while rolling his eyes.

"Then were have you been? I couldn't get hold of you or find you. You moved out of your apartment", Wally said quietly.

Roy seemed hesitant in his reply, deciding what he should tell Wally, but the look of hurt on his friends face told him he should tell the truth, "I've been with Jade".

Wally's mouth dropped open and his eyes looked like they were about to bulge out of his head. "Jade-the-ninja-assassin-Cheshire-Artemis's-sister-Jade? Wally asked so quickly that all the worse slightly merged together but Roy was used to deciphering Wally's speech by now and nodded in confirmation.

He shifted his self so he was facing forward and staring ahead but at nothing in particular, digesting the information. "Wow".

A silence once again descended. "But that's not why I'm here Wally." Wally shifted uncomfortably not really wanting to go back to the previous conversation. He started to fiddle with his thumbs in a hope to burn off some of the excess nervous energy. It wasn't working.

When Roy was certain Wally wasn't going to speak up Roy carried on "Barry says you're distant and quiet. You barely go out as KidFlash any more, you never willingly go to the mountain. You actually doing well in school for once because you're trying to avoid all your friends so you spend all your time in your room…"

"Yeah that might be because I've lost my best friend Roy! Not all of us can be a selfish bastard with no heart!" Wally screamed at Roy. Roy seemed shocked by his outburst and was about to argue back but then Wally broke down. Tears streaming down his face. His whole body shook and his breathing was so heavy Roy thought he was hyperventilating. Wally buried his head in his hands.

Luckily for Roy he had reached Wally's house and pulled over quickly not carrying that he was still partially in the road. He undid his seat beat and shifted over and wrapped his arms around Wally.

He had never seen Wally like this. Wally was always the stupid prankster never short a smile or being clumsy but highly amusing. Roy felt some of his own tears stain his cheeks and this provoked him to hug Wally tighter into his chest.

"I know buddy, I miss him too." Wally sobbed more and clung to Roy's chest. Roy buried his head into Wally's shoulder.

They stayed like that for several minuets until Wally's breathing finally calmed down and he wasn't sobbing as loudly. "It's not… fair… Dick.. shouldn't have died…" Wally whispered between sniffles.

"It's never fair Wally" Roy mumbled straightening up slightly so he could look Wally in the eye, "But Dick wouldn't want us to break. He wouldn't want us to drift away from each other. You know what Dick would say if we did".

Wally finally met his eye, "Get traught" they both said together and they let out a little laugh, but that quickly faded again.

"Look I can see your Aunt staring through the window so here," Roy quickly reached for the glove compartment and pulled out a pen and some paper to scribble something down, "This is my number, I'll always have it. Give me a call whenever you want. Even if it's just to ask which sandwich you should make," Wally let out a hollow laugh and took the paper with the number.

"Roy, don't forget about me again. I can't lose another brother". Wally said quietly looking down at the piece of paper.

"Hey, look at me", glistening green eyes stared up to Roy, "I'm not leaving you and I could never forget about you. We're brothers after all and we choose that".

Roy wrapped his arms around Wally and they shared a brief hug. Once they pulled away Wally wiped the palms of this hands over his face and stuffed the piece of paper in his jeans.

"Thanks Roy"

"Any time idiot".


	19. Heather

_A/N: Okay I know its been a while since I last posted but I was super nervous posting this next chapter. This is where I always intended to take the story but it still scares me what your reactions might be. Please don't hate me._

 _So WARNINGS for torture and death._

 _Oh and the * is referring back to chapter 17 (the definition of the word Saved.)_

* * *

Dick lay staring up at the ceiling trying to do some maths in his head. He was not likely what answer he kept on getting no matter what way he looked at it, it still came to the same number. Two hundred and ninety six. Thats how many days he had spent here, where ever here was. True the number might vary a little bit. Some days were hard to remember due to being unconscious, delirious or in too much pain to keep track of the tally in his head.

But only one number kept on popping up. Two hundred and ninety six. And Dick had no clue how he had made it that far. All logic said he should have been killed, but Slade didn't want that.

Somehow Dick had still refused to kill. Though Slade had tried many scenarios where killing seemed the only option. But Dick couldn't abandon this last belief he had. His last link to his humanity. If he did submit then Dick would be betraying everything he had once stood against. Fought against. He would become the monster that children learned feared and people reeled away from.

But Dick felt like he had already betrayed him self. Two more people had died since the last time.* It was the exact same scenario. Two people kneeling, Slade on the side presenting a gun to Dick saying, "Kill one".

Dick didn't mean for it to happen, he barely had any time to react. Deathstroke commanded that he killed one and he froze. Less than 10 seconds later both people were dead, the mercenary only commenting "You will to learn to obey without even thinking".

After that Dick had had been shoved back into his room, attached to the manacles and left alone in the dark for three days only given a glass of water and a stale piece of bread.

That was his punishment. Left in the dark with the faces of those cold bodies to haunt him. Not knowing who they were. Not even their names.

Dick might not have killed them but he could easily feel their blood on his hands.

He felt him self being torn apart, twisted and stitched back together into the being Slade wanted; and Dick desperately wanted to fight but his body and mind could no longer comply.

Though his body had gotten stronger over the last few months, pain still lingered in his limbs and he wasn't sure it would ever leave. He could have sworn the branded 'S' on his skins till burned. Dick tried to scratch it off himself in an attempt to somehow claim something back for himself but Slade rebranded it saying he couldn't let his property go unmarked.

The dim light flickered on and Dick stiffly got to his knees expecting Slade's arrival.

But instead of Slade entering alone, another person was dragged in by her hair. She looked wildly around. She was 18 or so, older than Dick. She had brassy hair and brown eyes. Her hands were restrained behind her and a gag was in place, smothering any words she was trying to say.

Slade threw her on the ground and just like before he offered the handle of a gun to the younger boy. "Shoot her" he simply stated. As if it was nothing in the world.

Dick toke a deep breathe knowing the results of this outcome. She would die either way it was just who pulled the trigger. Dick hated it, but right now he hated him self more because he was going to be selfish. He was going to save his soul and not the girl in front of him. Dick looked down in shame. He wanted to free her. To save her. But from all these months here he had slowly learned that he could save no one here. Slade always got what he wanted.

Looking back up, Dick tried to say confidently say "No" but his voice cracked knowing what would happen next.

However what happened next wasn't what Dick had expected. Instead of shooting her Slade holstered his weapon and brought up the computer in his gauntlet and activated the chains for Dick's arms. Dick was suddenly pulled off his feet and suspended in the air while the restraints on his ankles pulled him in the opposite direction.

"What are you doing?" Dick said fear entering his voice. But Slade's face was always a mask (with or without the mask) and his eye gave no intentions away.

He walked closer to the girl who had tried to shuffle away pressing her back into the wall, looking like a cornered mouse. Slade picked her up by the collar of her shirt and delivered a punch to her cheek resulting in a heart breaking crack. Her head snapped to the other side but before she even had time to recover another punch was delivered.

Dick screamed every word under the sun trying to get Slade to stop. He screamed, sweared and begged for him to stop. The restraints biting into his skin as he struggled against them.

The girl was whimpering but the sounds were getting lost due to the gag that covered her mouth. She curled herself up into a ball trying to protect herself, but that was hard when your hands were tied behind your back.

Slade ceased his brutal beating and pulled out an injection that held clear liquid. The girl was too consumed in focusing on her ragged breathing to notice though. Dick tried to warn her but it was too late. The injection was stabbed into the top of the spine just below the skull, and the girls whimpering increased to screams. It seemed what ever had just been injected into her had set her on fire.

Dick thought Slade was finished when he straightened up and looked down at the heap of heap at his feet; the blue eyed boy couldn't have been more wrong. Dick's eyes widened when Slade pulled out a small knife from one of his leg straps and started to carve into the girl.

Each slice made the girl scream in pain and fear. Thick sticky blood sprung to the surface of her pale skin. Her clothing absorbing some of it until it started to dribble on the floor and create a puddle.

Slade would deliver one clean slice and wait until the pain subsided and only then deliver the next.

Dick continued to scream at Deathstroke but they were unmatched in the girls screams even though a gag was muffling them all. Dick felt blood dripping down his arms from struggling in the manacles too much but he knew it was nothing compared to the pain the girl in front of him was experiencing.

Whatever the serum Slade had given to the girl it seemed to have set all of her nerves on fire, making the brutality of each cut so much worse and excruciating.

After what felt like a millennia, Slade finally stood up once the girl was unmoving and whimpering on the floor. He placed his knife back in its holster and walked over to Dick again. Dick tried to keep his gaze focused on the bleeding girl but he wasn't given much of a choice when a leathered hand grabbed his chin and pulled him away from the sobbing girl in the corner.

"You have a choice now. Either you let this girl die a horrible, long, torturous death or kill her quickly now. She will die either way it is just your choice how much she suffers." And with that Slade smoothly walked out of the room locking the door behind him.

He fell to the floor when suddenly the 4 shackles on his wrists and ankles opened, releasing him. He almost twisted an ankle not paying attention to his landing but he didn't care. He quickly scrabbled over to the girl.

As gently as he could he checked her pulse, it was weak but Dick didn't really expert any other news. As softly as he could he could he rested her head in his lap in an attempt to get her more comfortable.

It wasn't as comforting as he had hoped as she tried to twist away from him, in pain or fear Dick didn't know. But he kept his movement as soft as he could murmuring words of comfort to her. It seemed to help as she settled down; she was still sobbing and trembling, her body being pushed to the extents of its pain.

"Its okay I wont hurt you…. I wont hurt you….God i'm so sorry…. sorry" Dick kept on repeating, tears leaking down his face feeling responsible for her pain. He gently took off the gag that was wrapped around her head, he almost regretted it for muffled sobs were now louder and showed the true extent of her pain. It was heartbreaking.

He tired to keep his focus on removing the duck tape on the girls wrist. Once that was done he gently lowered her to the floor again and just stared at her.

Dick had no clue what to do. What could he do? For some reason he slowly started to hum a song his mother used to sing to him to go to sleep and it seemed to help sooth her. God he didn't even know her name.

Her sobs subsided to heavy breathing but the pain in her body didn't seem to lessen, it was more her body was too exhausted to show physical signs of pain now. But Dick knew it was still there.

Dick continued to hum and lightly stroke her mousy brown hair. That was until he heard the girl before him. "H..He…a…ther… Heather….". Dick had to strain to hear, as she was barely whispering.

"Heather… is that your name?" Dick asked and she nodded in reply then let out a whimper, the simple action seeming to be too much. "I'm Dick" he replied, "I'm so sorry Heather… I'm so sorry", tears were running down his face, staining his cheeks.

They continued on in silence for a bit, Dick only hearing his erratic heartbeat and Heather's whimpers of pain. Dick was numbly stroking her hair in an attempt to show comfort but there wasn't anything he could really do to sooth and calm her pain. The words that Slade said on his departure swamping his head, _"You have a choice now. Either you let this girl die a horrible, long, torturous death or kill her"._

Dick was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard Heather trying to speak again, having built up what little strength she had, "please… pl…ease… Dick….. k..kill….me".

Dick wanted to reel back but couldn't without hurting her, "I can't… I'm sorry I cant". Heather gently shook her head, "please… I can't handle this… please please…. please".

Dick felt like throwing up.

He wanted desperately wanted to help her and he knew she wasn't going to survive. Under closer observation every slice Slade had made hit a major artery. She would bleed out, but the coldness of the room made the circulation of the blood slower so it wouldn't be quick. The vial she had been injected with Dick could only assume fried all of her nerves, making all the pain receptors overloaded so the brain thought there was more pain then there actually was.

But Dick couldn't kill her. That was what Slade wanted. But it was more then that, he had sworn to protect and help. To do justice. What did this make him into if he killed?

There had to be another option. There is always a back up plan. An escape route. Something. Anything.

With all these thoughts climaxing making his head throb he simply repeated, "I can't, please don't ask me to."

Heather closed her eyes and then stared up at him for the first time. Soft, hazel nut eyes focusing onto brilliant blue. "Then you're just as evil as that other man", she stuttered out, but her voice seemed stronger and Dick felt each angry word like a knife piecing his body.

They stayed like that for what felt like hours. Both breathing heavily. When suddenly a scream ripped from her throat again with renewed vigour. "Please.. please.. just do it!" she screamed "I'm begging you! I can't… I can't… please…"

She rolled onto her side as if trying to get away from the pain. Though her voice was ripped apart and dried, her screams carried on. Her body spasming out of control. Contorting her body into awkward angles and positions. Tears streaming down her face and joining the ruby red blood on the floor.

On instinct, rather then conscious thought, Dick pulled her up into sitting. She didn't resist as she was too consumed in her own pain. Dick wrapped his hands around her chin and the back of her head.

The cracking of bones silenced the room and Heather's body slumped to the floor. Dead, hazel eyes stared up at him and Dick suddenly realised what he had done.

He scampered backwards until his back hit the opposite wall. His hands shaking with what he had just done. Dick sat there wide eyed and frozen.

He couldn't believe he just did that. He hadn't thought about it, he just wanted her to shut up. To not be in pain any more and it seemed his sub-conscious found the only solution to do that. He didn't even realised what he was doing until he had done it.

Dick just killed someone with his own hands.

The small, blue eyed boy broke down. His breathing started to hyperventilate. Sobs echoed the room. Salt tears rushed down his face and dribbled off his chin. He curled in on himself and rested his forehead against his tucked in knees, not wanting to see Heather's body. Not wanting to be near it.

He stayed like that for what felt like months. He didn't fall asleep, even though he was exhausted. But he was sure there would be no relief in the blackness.

Dick didn't notice when the door opened. He didn't notice the sound of feet approaching him. He barely registering the hand on his shoulder. He didn't notice the face in front of him. He only reacted when metallic bodies came in and picked up Heather clumsily and started to carry her out.

He tried lunging forward but was stopped as two hands trapped him and pushed against his shoulders. "Let go of me!" Dick screamed but his voice was cracked and dry and his body spent from emotional exhaustion. He had nothing left to give.

Once Heather's body was removed Slade released him and exited the room. Dick could only stare at Heather's blood which had started to dry on the cold metal floor.

"I'm so sorry Heather"


	20. Moving On

_A.N. so I thought I_ _hand't been away for that long... I was so wrong! and I am SO SORRY!_

 _Thank you guys so much for all the positive feedback it means a lot to me! hope you're all enjoying the story and where i am taking it, promise it won't always be so hard for Dick but I feel like he needs something this drastic to happen to him to change him. like a phoenix you need there to be death and ash to actually rise again. destruction = creation._

 _Just to clarify a few things Dick's been gone for nearly a year now and everyone believes that Dick Grayson is dead - reread chapter chapter 14: News of Funerals if you'd forgotten or need reminding since I got asked about that a bit._

 _I'll put any references I make in this chapter to previous chapters at the bottom._

 _Two story lines are being picked up in this chapter... Wally's - still dealing with the death of his friend but has had a bit of comfort from Roy. And Dick's - just made his first kill... Sorry Heather._

 _ **WARNINGS!** really sad, death, thoughts of suicide !but not out rightly said! and descriptive torture YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!_

* * *

Wally zipped up his red hoodie and stared at himself in the mirror. It was bit startling the transformation he had gone through; from goofy clown to this face staring back at him. But losing one of your best friends, brother, can do that and today Wally was determined.

He walked out of his room, down the stairs and towards the front door.

"You going out Wally?" his Aunt Iris called from the kitchen. "Yes" he yelled back, but before she could ask where he was going, he was zooming off towards Mount Justice.

* * *

As Wally arrived he heard a smash. Quickly rushing into the living room just in time to see Connor ducking as Megan used her mind to hurl chairs at him while screaming, "You such an inconsiderate pig Connor!"

Connor only grunted and punched the next chair that was flying towards his face. Anger was radiating off of him and it seemed he was about to go on an all out rampage on anything that stood in his way. Wally wasn't exaggerating, the numbers holes in the walls and replaced furniture this past year was proof that Connor was done beating up gym bags.

Wally's attention was drawn away from the couples spat to Artemis and Kaldur who sat in the corner. "Aren't you going to do something team leader?" Artemis asked her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Kaldur's response was merely to ignore her and turning the next page in the book he was reading.

A muscle in Artemis's eye twitched out of annoyance and anger and she hastily snatched the book from Kaldur.

Kaldur slowly stood up from the chair and gave her a deathly stare that looked so unnatural on his usually calm and peaceful face. "Give that back Artemis".

"Make me"

Seeing all the chaos before him Wally wasn't sure how to stop it. He had never been the diplomat in the group. Heck he was normally the one causing trouble. So Wally did the first thing that came to mind.

"STOP FIGHTING NOW!"

That seemed to work as now four angry pairs of eyes moved from the target of aggression towards Wally. The speedster gulped not liking the sudden attention, but then reminded himself why he was there. Thinking of this he widened his stance into a more confident position and levelled back all the stares he was getting.

"What are we guys doing?"

"I think it's bloodily well obvious Kid Idiot" Artemis challenged back with her usual level of sarcasm. Wally could tell she was just itching for a fight. He had been on the receiving end of those enough of those to recognise the signs.

"Well we'll all being stupid aren't we". Wally looked at all of them in turn. He could see that his words were having the slightest impact on Megan and Kaldur. Megan looking slightly guiltily and Kaldur's expression softening ever so slightly. Seeing this Wally continued hoping to get them to drop their defences a bit more.

"Come on guys were a family. A weird, messed up, unrelated, mixed species, super powered family".

"Yeah right we haven't been a family since…" Artemis began but was interrupted by Connor "Don't say his name." Connor clenched his fists as a warning for Artemis to stop talking, but Artemis was never one to back down.

"Robin. Richard. Dick. What ever the hell he called him self!" Connor clenched his jaw. "What Mr Big, Bad and Stupid? You angry over a little name…"

"Artemis stop!" Surprisingly this didn't come from Wally, though he was planning to interrupt. No this came from Kaldur.

Wally looked back over to Connor and saw Megan had her hand in his and was obvious trying to calm him down.

However the tension in the room did not drop, and Artemis was no where near done. "Why should I stop! Robin's dead and it's our fault!" Wally went to say something and Artemis saw this, "Don't you dare Baywatch. Don't you dare say anything different. Robin heard us! He heard us talking about him! Bitching behind his back and he thought we didn't care about him! We were the reason he went out alone after being kicked out by Batman. He thought he couldn't come to us. We made him feel like a failure. And he's dead because of us!" *****

Artemis had started hyperventilating between sentences and on the last sentence the tears that had been building up in her eyes finally spilled over. Every member of the team was shocked. They had never seen the green archer so emotional.

Artemis quickly wiped her tears away and went to walk out of the room but Wally stopped her.

"Get out of my way Wally" she said deadly but Wally refused to move. "Get out of my way or I'll…. or I'll"

Wally placed his hand on Artemis's shoulder so she couldn't move past him. "He's dead Artemis. Robin died. And it doesn't make sense. It feels meaningless and a waste and it hurts and.… Robin died… but he wouldn't want us to fall apart. He would want us together".

Artemis legs gave way and she crumpled to the ground. Wally went down with her and on instinct he wrapped his arms around her. It felt surprising natural and Artemis leaned into the embrace. Artemis's sobs echoing through the cave.

"I just thought it would get better… he's been dead for almost a year…. but… I just feel as miserable as the day we found out…" Artemis whispered between sobs. Nestling her head into Wally's shoulder.

There was nothing the speedster could say. He felt the same way. So he just wrapped his arms around her tighter.

The red head looked up and saw tears running down Megan's face and Connor's arms wrapped around her. It had been the most intimate they had been in months.

Kaldur had a mixture of sadness, guilt and loneliness to his face. Wally wanted to walk over to him but there was no way he could leave the blonde sobbing in his arms alone on the floor.

Once Artemis sobs subsided, Wally choose to speak up again looking at his team mates. "We have to stop fighting guys and blaming ourselves and each other. We've got to keep this team and family going for Robin."

Wally's eyes caught hold of Kaldur and saw him nod his head in agreement. A more tranquil and peaceful expression coming across his face, "For Robin" the Atlantian spoke gently.

* * *

Slade didn't return. Dick was left in the dark with only his thoughts and his mind could only see one thing. Heather screaming in pain and then silenced. Slumped on the floor. Dick didn't see the life drain from her. She was alive and then dead.

Food and water were pushed into his cell every day, but Dick never touched it. He didn't care that his throat screamed for relief or that his body felt like it was eating it's self. He just wanted this stop. There was no way to escape from this hell hole. No spontaneous but brilliant plan. No fancy gadget to change anything. Dick didn't want to do any more harm. He couldn't continue any longer and be Dick.

It wasn't until the third day when the metal door finally slid open to reveal the ominous figure that stood behind it. His eye tracked onto Dick who still hadn't moved, even though his muscles were cramped and stiff, he didn't care. His brain had shut down.

A velvet voice spoke that sent Dick trying to hide into the corner walls more, hoping somehow they might absorb him. "Apprentice you must eat". Dick would have normally yelled back but he didn't. Slade was met with silence. Dick no longer wanted to fight back, he just wanted to disappear. Cease to exist. Maybe he would find some sort of comfort then.

"Apprentice", Slade's voice rumbled promising punishment but still Dick did not reply.

Slade crossed the room with two strides and then grabbed Dick by the hair and dragged him across the room. Dick whimpered having not moved in an age but did not resist as Slade attached the chains and pulled him taunt.

Dick's throat was grabbed and his eyes forced up to look at Slade's single, metallic-like eye. "Apprentice, one more chance. Eat".

Suddenly all the emotions that Dick had felt over the days exploded in side of him: pain, regret, hate, anger, grief, sorrow. And it was all because of this man in front of him. This monster who had ripped everything from Dick. His family, friends, morals and now soul. Corrupted every ideal and promise Dick had made to himself, his parents, Bruce.

"Go to hell Slade" Dick said quietly but the anger behind each of his words was clearly recognisable.

Slade matched the small boy's glare and was the first one to break eye contact as he retreated out of the room. However the door was not closed, leaving Dick in silence and darkness. Dick heard Deathstroke's feet echo across the floor travelling away from him and then reproaching. He watched as Slade strode back in and placed a big metal suitcase on the table in the corner.

When Dick saw what was inside he shivered. But before he could say any word of protest Slade was already in front of Dick. The black haired boy tried to speak but Slade slipped the metal device he was holding between the younger boys lips and teeth and secured it there. Tightening a leather strap around his head.

The metal was cold and felt foreign in Dick's mouth. However Slade was nowhere near done yet. Dick's eyes widened and let out a whimper of discomfort as the metal gag in his mouth, slowly started to prised Dick's jaw open as Slade turned a screw on the gag.

Sounds of pain escaped Dick as his jaw felt it had been pushed beyond his limit. He thrashed widely in the chains but they kept him in place. So consumed in trying to fight his way out he didn't realise that Slade was now holding a rubber tube.

Dick tried forcing his head back but there was no escaping. The rubber slid into Dick's mouth and down his throat. Dick felt like throwing up at the invasion of this tube into his body. He continued his struggles but Slade seemed at ease. As though Dick's attempts were like swatting away a fly.

A brown substance was poured down the tube and carried on through until it hit Dick's stomach. The smaller boy continued his struggles in a hope to dislodge the tube but there was really no hope. The tube had been feed down his oesophagus and down into his stomach.

After all the liquid was poured in the mercenary removed the tube and quickly closed the metal gag. Dick's stomach rolled and by small miracles he was somehow able to keep the contents in his stomach. His jaw relaxed in relief of being able to close but the gag remained in place so Dick could now no longer open his mouth.

Dick hung his head in exhaustion, letting his body lax. Chin touching chest.

Slade observed him for a few quiet moments after putting back all the equipment in the case. "You have no choice here Richard. I will continue to repeat the last few days if you do not obey. An innocent will suffer and you will kill. This will continue on until you do as you are told."

Dick flinched at the reminder of Heather, his mind having not focused on it for the first time in days. He felt his eyes water up at the repetition of that happening. Having another Heather dragged in by their hair. Going through hell when death was always going to be the end result. And Dick being witness and participant in all of it.

"You cannot escape this Richard. There will never be another option. You will live, breathe and die as I tell you," Dick felt a hand grip the back of his hair and pull his head back up, "And if you ever try finding another way out, I promise the punishment will severe and rememberable".

Dick's eyes widen with fear. He could't cope with more blood on his hands. Slade voice softened as it whispered into Dick's ear, "You have one choice now Richard and that is how you let people die. Quick and fast so they feel nothing or… an antagonising, slow, drawn out death. With them pleading for mercy. That is the only choose you have now Richard. Except your place here."

And with that Slade left Dick alone in the dark.

* * *

The next day Dick was released from his room. He didn't struggle or talk back. There was no defiance or anger in his eyes. They were just lifeless blue saucers.

Dick obediently followed Slade down the corridor and into the main training room, but it didn't feel like younger boy was truly there. He felt like an observer while his body went through the motions.

Slade noticed the change in Dick's eyes. Even when battered and bleeding his crystal blue eyes always shone but now they were dull. Reserved and guarded. Slade smiled at this, it meant Dick had finally now been broken in body, mind and soul. He was now clay to be sculpted and hardened as the mercenary saw fit.

But Slade needed to be sure.

As they entered the main training room they saw a man in his thirties kneeling down, bound and gagged. Dick absorbed everything in his surrounding, memorising the man perfectly, but immediately filing it away in his mind. Not feeling any empathy or emotion to the situation occurring.

Just seeing the helpless man in front of him and the gun in Slade's hand.

"Kill him"

Without hesitation Dick took the gun and fired a single round into the man's head. The man slumped to the floor, dead before he even hit it. Dick gazed down at the man but his expression did not show any emotion. His eyes were distant and disconnected.

"Excellent Apprentice" Slade placed a hand on Dick's shoulders and unlike all the other times he did not flinch or shy away. He stayed completely static. "Go and warm up Apprentice we have much to do today."

Dick went to move off not looking back from the man he just killed but suddenly stopped and turned his head back over his shoulder. "Master, you carved a word into my back a while ago. What was the word?"

The older man was surprised by the question, but he remembered the carving. It was punishment for the first time Dick had refused to kill. A promise that Slade had made to what his unwilling apprentice, at the time, would become. **

Slade observed Dick but decided to grant him the answer to his question, "Renegade".

Somewhere in the blue eyed boy's mind he scoffed at how appropriate the word fit him now. For really… the light hearted, sarcastic, caring boy had died in his prison of steel, blood and darkness.

The only thing left was a renegade. A traitor. In every way.

* * *

* reference back to chapter 3:Hidden Truths

** reference back to the mystery word carved into Dick in chapter 17: The definition of the word Saved

Reviews are like hugs!


	21. Change In Tactics

**_Previously on Things Change._**

 _Dick is shot by Joker causing Batman to reconsider whether Robin should be on the streets. After long months of healing Robin goes back to the team field ready. Training session occurs and Superboy punches Robin, accidentally, too hard. This leads to arguing among the team and questioning of Robin's ability and contribution to the team - Robin overhears. They're given a mission and leads to the first interaction between Deathstroke and the team._

 _Robin has doubts about himself due to overhearing everyone but finds comfort from his non-biological Uncle Clark aka Superman. However upon returning home Bruce decides he will no longer risk Dick Grayson's life and fires robin (rather-brutally-in-typical-Batman-fashion-though) and an argument ensures. Robin leaves, Alfred finds out what has occurred and kicks Batman back into his place. Dick is in exhausted, in pain from injuries, vulnerable and emotional. Slade uses this to abduct him and stage his 'murder'._

 _First month Dick is tortured every day in every way until he submits and calls Slade 'master'. The 11 months following that Slade begins training his new apprentice and begins to break down Dick through torture, psychological mind games, humiliation techniques and a whole other bag of tricks. Dick can't leave otherwise Slade will expose every super hero identity he has obtained by being able to figure out Dicks e.g. Batman's, Superman's. Dick finally cracks and finally kills someone who was tortured and left to die in front of him ( her name wasHeather). Slade is happy he won._

 _Meanwhile this is going on outside of Dick's storyline. Dick Grayson is declared dead and there's a funeral, Bruce isolates himself and broods. The team falls apart but Wally brings them back together with a little help from Roy and Barbra inspired by her friend's death becomes Batgirl with a little help from Lucius Fox._

 _Damn that took long to explain but on with the show!_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 21: Change In Tactics_** _(or Slade's Mind Games)_

 ** _(5 Months Later)_**

The days after Dick's final submission to Slade slowly stretched out into weeks. Dick felt like he was suspended in this death like state where nothing mattered. Not his aching muscles, the darkness and solitude of his room, not the void that had now consumed his mind, tempty, hollow feeling in his chest. And there is a simple reason for that, Dick Grayson wasn't there. For now there was just a shell that had taken the name Renegade.

Dick Grayson wasn't there. (Well, not right now at least.)

Training and life with his Master progressed but not as Slade had hoped. However this was what he had expected. Slade had destroyed Dick. For the only person really in his way from obtaining his perfect apprentice was Richard.

And now… the idea of Renegade had now been planted, however he was yet to be constructed and born. This was the next phase in Slade's plan.

The feared mercenary now knew the dark haired boy would stay beside him, for he was now truly alone in the world. A world where no one would welcome him, his old family and friends would shun and hunt him down or, at least, thats what Slade had suggested over the months of Dick's torment. But ideas like that only grew if they had some basis already. Some truth in them.

Slade knew, Dick believed in his core that if he crossed the line of what defined a hero and a villain, there was no redemption from that. Thats what Batman has taught his little Robin. So Slade was confident his apprentice would never leave him, for Slade was now the only person to except Dick Grayson for the person he had become. (Or so Richard believed.) Fear and shame were powerful tools to wield when taming someone, and Slade was a master at his trade.

But now began the next step in the evolution of Renegade. The possibility and the potential that Slade's apprentice now held. For Slade didn't need an empty mind or shell of a person; if he had wanted that he would hired one of the thugs he occasionally used. No, what he wanted to create was a lieutenant. A solider. Someone who could think and act by themselves, with strong loyalties to Slade.

As soon as Dick had killed someone with no need of persuasion and obeyed all of Slade's orders, the punishments were no longer required for his apprentice, now the only harm came when they spared together. Dick was no longer chained in his room, and now had a mattress to sleep on. His clothes plain but now clean and new. Slade slowly started to praise his apprentice and offered (very very small but) almost fatherly gestures, a hand on the shoulder for example. Slade had now begun the long road of gradually building trust with his new Apprentice.

And though Slade could see the boy not wanting to except these gestures of kindness. Wanting to hate Slade and more importantly hate himself, a self punishment if you like, it was had to refuse such small acts of kindness. After a year of being battered, bruised, tormented and hurt, Dick's body was craving kindness and affection. Just as Slade had planned.

The time for punishment and degrading was nearly over, now it was the time to build, praise and strengthen the qualities Slade wanted to flourish. All this was slowly building up the confidence of Renegade, but Deathstroke knew a more drastic action was required to progress their relationship.

Slade had now shown Dick the that he was a killer and that killing someone could be a mercy and salvation for the condemn. Now it was time to show that Renegade was not only a killer, but could also be a protector if the situation required it. (After all Slade might be evil, but that didn't always meant he played a villain. He was a mercenary. He did what ever he was paid for.)

And Slade had the perfect contract to now demonstrate that.

* * *

Master and Apprentice were kneeling on the rooftop, staring at the warehouse across from them. Observing and choosing the perfect time to infiltrate the building.

Deathstroke was wearing his usual mercenary gear and helmet. Double sword on his back and all. Renegade wore simpler clothing, having not received his proper uniform yet, Slade hadn't believed he had quite earned it yet. Rewards had to equal the success of Renegade's actions.

Instead the younger boy wore simple black trousers, and black long sleeve top, with kevlar underneath. A grappling gun secured to his hip, a pouch full of throwing stars and a small katana secured on his back. Slade knew now was not the time to overload Richard with needless weapons. He didn't need a scared and uncomfortable apprentice on this contract by forcing him to use a gun. Renegade might be a good shot, but he still saw the weapon as only a destructive tool.

The only other thing Dick wore was black fabric wrapped around his head to cover his eyes. Slade didn't want anything of this new outfit to make Dick associate it to his Robin outfit, but it was important that his apprentice's identity remained hidden.

They both watched the building in silence and observed as three men walked out of the building and loaded into a car and drove off. Now was the perfect time to initiate the plan he was gone over with his apprentice.

* * *

 _"_ _Renegade we have been hired to retrieve a girl who is being held for ransom and return her back to her family"_

 _Blue eyes widen in surprise for a moment at the nature of the contract but that was the only display of emotion given. He had done a few contracts but all of those had been surveillance and thefts. Nothing that involved contact with people other then his Master._

 _Slade brought up a photo of a warehouse blueprint on one of the screens behind him. "Its believed she is being held in the south east wing of the building. So while I distract and open a clearing for you and the hostage in the north side, you will enter from east, locate the hostage, protect her and get her out. Understood."_

 _"_ _Yes Master." the apprentice replied. His face a mask void of emotion, but Slade noted every muscle twitch and placement of eye sight._

 _Slade nodded his head, "Read through the files here. The bag has everything you need for the mission. We leave in three hours"_

* * *

Not looking at his apprentice, Slade spoke, "Apprentice get into position. Move when you hear gunshots."

Without need for further instruction Dick took off to the side of the building and jumped across the rooftops. Effectively doing a wide circle around the warehouse, to avoid any possible cameras, running until he was in position.

He prepared his grappling hook and shot it across to the warehouse rooftop, quickly swinging down. He landed and knelt against the edge of the rooftop in position above the window he would use to gain access.

The dark haired boy waited for 1 minute and 45 seconds. Then he heard gunshots. Not letting his mind be distracted to what where those bullets might be landing, he grabbed the side of the roof, swinging his legs down and using the momentum slip through the window.

Dick performed a few summersaults to slow his decent but the drop was not high. He neatly rolled upon impact with the floor. Not waisting a second he sprang up and started to jog, across the room to the door.

He opened it carefully, but no one was in the corridor. He cautiously started to walk down the hall, keeping to the sides, listening carefully for voices.

Three doors down he came across two frantic voices.

"What do we do?"

"We should kill the girl and get out of here"

"She's the only leverage we have idiot!"

The teenager muted out the voices. He assumed the girl was with them and readied a handful of his shuriken. The apprentice took a deep breath and then kicked the door in. He sent two throwing stars to goon number 1 who was holding a gun, effectively disarming him. Two more were sent to goon number 2, implanting themselves deep into one of his thighs.

As he screamed out in pain the teenager ran closer and planted his foot were the shuriken landed, pushing them further in. Then using goon number 2's leg as a spring board the boy flipped backwards, sending his other foot into Goon 2's chin. He head whipped back and crashed into the floor behind him. Goon number 2 down.

Goon number 1 still hadn't gotten his bearings and was still clutching his hand in pain. His weapon discarded on the floor. The dark haired boy quickly spun around, striking the man's neck. The boy saw his eyes roll back into his head before he even hit the ground.

Renegade saw the gun on the floor, and quickly disarmed it before throwing it back down. He may not want to keep it, but he wasn't stupid enough to leave a loaded gun around that one of these two men could use if they regained consciousness.

Determining there was no threat, the oxen locks boy scanned the room until he found who he was looking for. A girl of about twenty was bound, gagged and blindfolded in the corner. He could hear her whimpering and saw the tear tracks down her cheeks where fabric wasn't obscuring her face.

The teenager slowly approached, even though it made no difference to the girl as she couldn't see. Once he had reached her, he just stared for a bit, unsure of what to do. Robin could have quickly untied her, comforted her and made her laugh in less then a minute, but this boy in the room was not Robin. It was someone who had now locked away his conscious and therefore his feelings and personality as well. (The only way for him to remain some what sane and survive).

He carefully leaned down and undid the blindfold. He was met with dark honey, fearful eyes, lined red from tears. Seeing those eyes sparked his tongue into action. "You're okay. You're safe now. Your father sent me to get you out."

The girl sobbed. In relief or fear the blue eyed teen did not know, but he continued to untie all of her restraints. She tried to quickly stand but her knees crumpled beneath her. Luckily the dark haired boy was there and caught her. Slinging an arm around her waist and pulling her arm over his shoulders, he supported her weight and got her out of the room.

He made his way down the hall way. Made a left then a right to where he and Slade had agreed to meet. Dick kept silent to hear ahead but the girl leaning on him was omitting soft whimpers of fear. Dick ignored his pulling heartstrings and just focused on his task at hand.

He reached up to his com link. "I have the girl. Is it clear to come through?"

The oxen boy waited for a beat until a reply came through, "Clear. Come to the black SUV up front."

Without hesitation the boy made sure he had a secure grip on the girl and moved forward. She had buried her face into his neck. It was rather awkward but Dick did nothing to protest. As they made their way out, the teenager ignored the bodies on the floor. Not seeing any blood but not particularly wanting to find out what state they were in.

Once out front, the blue eyed boy saw the car his Master had told him about and pulled the girl in. Deathstroke casted his eye over them and then drove off in the car. The girl in Dick's arms had now completely broken down and was hyperventilating into Dick's chest, seeming to not care if these people were who they claimed to be. Just in too much of a panicked state to comprehend right now.

Upon instinct, the oxen boy wrapped his arms around her and just let her cry it out. Not offering any words, as none came to mind. He was careful with his words now. He didn't make promises he never kept, and he had learnt over the last months that his promises were like pie crusts. Easily made and then easily broken.

They drove for a while until they reached an airstrip. A jet was waiting, with a greying haired man, and several forgettable body guards in black suits. The teenager could tell the man was worried and tense due to his posture and facial expression, leading Dick to the conclusion he was the father.

The apprentice let Deathstroke go slightly ahead of him, to finish the final bit of the business transaction. He waited for a few minutes, watching as a body guard gave the greying man a tablet and pressed a few buttons, completing the wire transactions for the payment.

Once Deathstroke turned his head back to the car. Dick took this as his cue to move, but the girl clutching his tear-stained shirt made that a little hard.

With as gentlest voice he could managed he spoke, "Hey your family is here. You can go now. You're safe."

The girl tilted her head until she could see out of the window, and fragile smile crossing her face as she saw her dad.

The oxen locks boy helped her out of the car, two body guards came up to meet them, the dad looking like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders.

The girl Renegade had just saved took two steps away from him, until she turned and wrapped her arms round his neck, hugging him. "Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you" she said between relieved sobs.

Dick awkwardly returned the hug, not really expecting such a reaction. He watched her as the girl was taken away and boarded the plane with her father, and then moved back to the car with Slade. The ride back to the haunt feeling like an out of body experience.

However Slade watched his apprentice carefully the whole ride back. Calculating and predicting what was going through Dick's head. How the experience of this contract had effected him. Even if Dick wasn't sure he even knew yet.

Once back, the blue eyed teenager assumed he would just be going back to his room, so automatically started to take himself to his dark, cold, metal room. However a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

A deep voice spoke out, "You did well today Renegade. You handled the contract effectively and that deserves recognition and a reward."

Slade steered him to the only door in the room, but instead of going straight down the corridor to the last room where Dick's 'room' (more like cell) resided, they enter the second door on the left, walking down another smaller hallway until they reached the second door on the right.

Inside was a simple room, but it was actually something the smaller boy could call a bedroom. An actually bed was set up, with a bed frame, mattress, duvet and pillows, pushed against one of the walls. A small desk, with a light and several books on the bookshelves above. A small cabinet which, unknown to Dick, held several or so dozen clothing items, all of which fit Dick. Another open door in the room showed there to be a bathroom with a shower and all the essentials.

Dick looked around speechless. The room was simple and plain, with pale blue walls, but it was the most normal sight he had ever seen. The comfiest room he had been in since his imprisonment a year ago. A pure luxury compared to the bare mattress or cold metal floors he had been sleeping on.

The oxen haired boy stepped in to the room, feeling a bit overwhelmed by it, but his face stayed masked, emotions were dangerous so Dick always tried to bury them.

Slade spoke again. "This will be your living quarters from now on. Whenever you have free time you can come here or go anywhere else in this building."

A pause was left in the air and the boy knew what was expected of him, The teenager faced the man in front of him "Thank you Master."

An almost… kind expression came across Slade's face, one that looked awkward and alien to the boy's tormentor. Dick wasn't sure what to make of it. "You did well and therefore should be reward Renegade" Slade stated clearly, trying to make the clear connection in Dick's mind that obedience and well completed jobs meant rewards. Failure and disloyalty meant punishment.

Dick only nodded his heard not sure what to do. Slade turned to leave but before leaving he asked his apprentice a question, wording his question carefully "How did it feel to complete that contract Renegade?"

For a brief moment the tiniest smile came across Dick faces as he remembered the girl with honey brown eyes hug him. "Really good" he whispered.

Dick didn't see the smirk that had crossed the mercenary's face. Slade knew he still had some way to go, but he was beginning to make Dick correlate missions Slade gave with praise, rewards and good feelings. Building a more willing apprentice who will therefore be more loyal and successful.

Slade closed the door behind Dick. The boy waited for a clicking of a lock and the turning out of lights he was so accustomed to from his old, cramped room but neither came.

The boy slowly made his way to the door and was surprised when it opened. He closed it again, his eyes now trained on the light switch on the wall. He flipped it down and the lights turned it off. He flicked it back up and the lights came back on.

Dick didn't know how long he did that action again and again, but it felt amazing. He felt like he had some control in his micromanaged life, now accompanied by at least one happy memory from today. People took advantage of simple action of turning off and on lights, but after a year of darkness meaning he was alone and light meaning pain and humiliation, it was amazing to feel it now normalised, back to its domestic function. Something that Dick could now control for himself.

It was amazing how deprivation could make someone appreciate and love something so small as a light switch.


	22. Spark

**_Chapter 22: Spark_**

 _ **(3 months later)**_

Slade's plan of building Renegade into his own person was working. His own person that was still in Slade's full possession. His apprentice seemed to be more alive. Was coming up with more ingenious ways to fulfil contracts, fighting with more aggression and precision. And while Slade couldn't say his apprentice was happy, he at least seemed to be alive rather then the purely just existing state he had been in.

His apprentice, for the moment, seemed loyal, obedient and gaining that fire back without any of that rebellious nature that made Dick Grayson so frustrating hard for Slade to control.

But Slade knew there was still so much more to do and now came the next step. Seeing how his Renegade would handle an old ghost. The black haired teenager knew that punishments happened if failure occurred but he also knew the rewards he would attain if he was successful. He knew what his life was now and what it was not. But this next test was a vital clue to see if what the face his apprentice wore was just a mask or truth. This would show his true loyalties to which mentor he now served.

Deathstroke was sending his apprentice back to his old home.

* * *

Renegade squished down the recognition he had from seeing the road he was being driven down. The recognition of streets signs, the familiarities of the unwelcoming grey buildings, the memories he had here. In his brain he was just repeating three words that had been become his mantra "I'm not here"

Now Dick didn't mean this in a literal sense. He just meant it was a psychological sense. He was pushing his personally, memories and conscious back behind a door, locking it and throwing away the key.

It kind of created an out of body experience for him. A waking dream where reality didn't seem so brutal. Where his conscious and guilt weren't eating him alive. A state where he could do what he had to do. Three simple words. "I'm not here".

Dick Grayson is not here.

But it was harder to keep that door closed with the city he was now in. Renegade knew it was a test. There were always tests that Slade loved to make him play. Making Renegade jump through hoops and trying to trip him up. Make him continuously prove his loyalty. But Renegade never slipped up. He was an obedient apprentice that always followed his Master's orders because he knew the cost of failure. Not only would he be beaten but another was too. Some poor soul who was just found in the wrong place at the wrong time (Just like Heather). That was the cost of failure and that was probably the only conscious bit of Dick that stayed awake. That propelled Renegade forward and made him obey Deathstroke the Terminator. World's most ruthless and successful mercenary.

Once the car stopped Dick didn't thank the man who was driving. The man in a three piece suit that smelt of cigars and unknown to Dick went by the name William Wintergreen. He simply got his bags from the trunk and entered the building in front of him. He took the elevator up to the 4th floor and went into the apartment named 4B using the key he had been given.

The apartment was modern, open planned and for lack of a better world normal. Somewhere you would never expect a world renowned assassin to dwell, but that was the point. Dick found one of the smaller bedrooms and placed his bag and the shiny, hard, large, black case on the bed and walked into the bathroom.

He walked over to the sink splashed some water onto his face, avoiding looking into the mirror, not wanting to see the stranger before him.

Though Dick choose to bury and ignore his emotions. It was harder here, in this city. He could feel them ready to burst forth at a moments slip of control. Guilt, fear, anxiety, nerves and just the tiniest grain of sand of hope only to be squashed by more guilt.

Because he was back in the last place on earth he wanted to be. He was back in Gotham. After one year and 8 months. He was back in the city where the feared Dark Knight lived. Where the man who raised him was a stones throw away. Where madmen and psychos went on murdering sprees every other tuesday.

He was back in Gotham on a contract to prove to his Master what he already knew. Renegade wouldn't run. Because Dick couldn't face his family due to the monster he saw himself as now. And because of the people Slade would hurt if he ever did.

The ever present threat looming over his head. That silk like voice whispering, _"If you ever see anyone from your old life again I'll put a bullet in each and every one of them. And if you every betray me, I'll bring some innocent before you and torture them until you beg to kill them yourself"._

Dick Grayson had come back home and he could only just stop himself from screaming for help, but Renegade was here to fulfil a contract. An assassination. And he knew the only way for him to do the least damage... was to please his Master.

"Home sweet home I guess."

* * *

Selina Kyle gracefully exited the taxi she was in. One lean, tanned leg first appearing out of the cab and a stylish high heel touching the street. The taxi driver clumsily clambered out of the cab eager to help Miss Kyle out of the cab and with her luggage.

Selina gave him a kind smile and once her baggage was out of the cab and in front of her she leaned over, place her hand on his; giving him a kiss on his cheek and slipping him some cash as a tip.

She went to pick up her bags and entered the building where her apartment was while the cab driver looked slightly star struck and stumbled back into his car.

Selina made it up the three floors until she finally arrived to her apartment door. Putting the key in the lock she opened the door and thrust her bags into the hall way.

Her apartment wasn't the luxury you might expect from a master thief but it was her first home and what could she say… she was sentimental. The apartment only consisted of a few rooms and peeling green paint flaking off the walls, however that just gave it an ethereal atmosphere. An apartment lost in time.

She was greeted by one of her cats that curled around her legs wanting attention. Selina complied and picked up the cat walking towards the kitchen.

What she wasn't expecting though was to see a fresh teapot of tea lad out on the table joined with a plateful of biscuits. The room had been warmed and if Selina didn't know better she would have said the place looked cleaner and tidier.

Of course the most notable thing in the kitchen was the elderly Englishman residing in one of the chairs, a kind smile on his face. "Welcome home Miss Kyle, would you like some tea?"

Selina was shocked at seeing the infamous Alfred Pennyworth in her kitchen but her surprised expression was quickly replaced by a warm smile. "Yes please Alfred". The butler was one of the only people Selina generally liked and wouldn't steal from.

As she placed the black cat she was holding down on the floor Alfred spoke again in a gentle voice, "How was your trip to Berlin?"

Selina sat down opposite Alfred and sipped the warm tea that was set before her. It was perfect as usual. The thief crossed her legs and leaned back with drink in hand. "How did you know?"

Alfred raised an eyebrow, "If I'm not mistaken the black diamond around your neck was part of a private collection which was on lone at the Bode Museum."

Selina smiled, "Perhaps… however I do not believe there have been any reports of a robbery or that it is even missing."

"Indeed"

Selina sipped her tea and again and a gentle silence fell between them. "Not that it isn't loverly to see you Alfred but how and why are you here".

Alfred poured himself a cup of tea and started to speak, "For a brilliantly talented cat thief Selina I'm surprised you don't have better security. " Selina slightly blushed at the compliment knowing the butler used his words sparingly and therefore only spoke when he meant something.

Alfred continued on, "Also people seem to forget that I was once part of MI6 and we did some less then orthodox things back in my day and once certain skills are acquired they are not easily forgotten."

Selina nodded and made a mental note to ask about some of Alfred's exploits. Everyone in Gotham always tried to be mysterious but Alfred was the only one that truly was. He was a man of surprises, secrets and hidden talents. He was most likely the only man who could knit a scarf and also fire a shot gun with complete accuracy.

Alfred took a moment and a sip of his tea. "As for the why Miss Kyle I am inquiring on behalf of Master Bruce."

This made Selina pause mid sip but she quickly tried to cover it up. However nothing escaped Alfred's ever watchful gaze. Selina hadn't spoken to Bruce for a few months. It hadn't been hard to find out what had happened to Dick and at the time Selina had been furious at Bruce. She probably still was if she was honest.

"Alfred you know why I haven't spoken to Bruce, I don't agree with how he handle things and because of him a good hearted boy died".

Selina had been surprised by her reaction. She disliked the boy the first time she had met him. He was a brat that liked to be a know-it-all; part of her also recognised that she was just slightly jealous that she could no longer hold Batman's full attention. But after a while the little dark hair kitten had wormed his way to her heart. The two spent a lot of time together either on rooftops or at dull charity balls and Selina felt a little pride in her heart knowing she was the only steady female influence in his life.

She knew she would never come close to some of the people in his life like: Bruce, Alfred or his little friends but she was comfortable with her position.

Upon hearing about why Dick had left, Selina had done what any women would have done. She slapped Bruce across the face and once he had recomposed himself she slap him again.

"Alfred, I care for Bruce but he needs some sort of punishment for his actions. He can't go unaccountable for all of his life."

"Miss Kyle I agree. Don't you think I've burnt a few of his meals to show my displeasure." Selena smiled wickedly at Alfred. For Alfred that was like saying go to hell, this is probably what the food tastes like. "But the reality of the situation is Master Bruce is suffering enough. He needs someone to help him with his burden. I'm hoping that can be you."

Selina placed her cup back down and picked up a tabby wanting attention. She stroked the soft fur as she contemplated what Alfred had just said.

"How bad is he Alfred?"

Alfred held Selina's gaze but she noticed his eyes slightly looking back in reflection of the past. He let out an audible sigh, "He's a broken man. He is focusing on other things but not himself. He hasn't grieved Selina. He's flickering between anger, grief and depression and he won't let me help."

The thief had expected as much. She had looked at reports and seen the ferocity of the Batman's attacks. Crime had cut by almost 50% but the price had been too steep.

"How can you forgive him Alfred? Dick left because he felt he could not stay. How can you stay by a man who had no idea of the costs attached to his actions? Who doesn't know how to act like a human being?"

The man in front of her thought deeply her question, trying to find the right words. "Because he needs me. I promised his parents I would always be loyal and observant of their son."

Selina looked at the man. The forever loyal butler that held everyone respect. Alfred never asked for favours unless it was necessary or important. How could she deny a man so humble and yet noble in all ways of life.

She reached across the table and place her hand on his "I'll try and talk to him Alfred. But I can't promise I can change things and I can't promise when I'll do this".

"This is all I can ask from Miss Kyle".

* * *

 _"This mission is simple Renegade. You will find your target Jonathan Matthews, a running candidate for Mayor of Gotham, study his schedule and then when instructed to, take him out."_

Those words ran through Dick's mind. Those words were an abbreviated form of the contract Slade had sent him on. To study a man's schedule and then figure out the best was to take him out.

Dick had a week to study his target and learn his schedule. An idiot would have gone into his home and tried to shoot him point blank but Slade had taught Dick how to do things cleanly, efficiently and without error.

And this was why Renegade - in regular attire, jeans, grey sweater and jacket - was currently sipping black coffee in a small cafe occasionally glancing over to Jonathan Matthews. Dick had been following this politician now for two days now and his schedule hand;t differed since. He ran every morning at 6:00, then showered and ate breakfast. Went to work for 8:00 and didn't come out until 2:00 at which point he would always come to this cafe order a large, double shot cappuccino and what ever special sandwich they had, stayed until 2:45 either on his phone or reading a newspaper, return to work, work till 6:00 then turn home to his wife and toddler kid.

Dick didn't let his mind wander on that last fact but that didn't stop his brain from constantly bringing it up.

From other information Dick had leant Jonathan Mathews was 48 years old and had studied as a lawyer but soon discovered he had a knack for public speaking and swiftly moved to politics. Working with a small political group and building up recognition of it and persuading sponsors to donate. That small party was now the most likely to be elected and thus Jonathan Matthews becoming the next Mayor of Gotham, and apparently someone did not want that to happen.

Dick took a sip of the steaming cup of coffee in front of him, not partially focusing on the bitter taste. When suddenly his interest peeked when a young boy ran into the shop and sat in the booth Dick was at.

The blue eye teenager stared bewildered at the younger boy in front of him. His clothing was crumpled with holes in it, a the red t-shirt fading in colour. His hair was ruffled and sticking out at out angles.

Before Dick could ask what on earth this boy was doing the boy in front of him quickly spoke up in a frantic hushed whisper, "shh okay just play along that we're brothers and I won't punch you in the face".

Dick was stunned by the boys sudden appearance and now his threat, but upon seeing his scared pricing green eyes stare up at him, Dick nodded. He couldn't help it, those eyes reminded him of Wally and that thought quickly made Dick try and focus on another aspect of the boy.

Upon Dick nodding his head to show his agreement he saw men come in. They were big, bulky and muscular and if their tattoo were any indication they were part of a gang.

The three men looked around the shop until their eyes landed of the back of the mysterious boy's head and start to head over to Dick's table.

The waitress they pasted tensed up sensing that trouble was about to happen and quickly ran to a back room properly to get her boss. But Dick wasn't intimated, he merely leaned back in his chair and started to talk to the boy in front of him as if they were just finishing a conversation.

"So thats when my friend landed flat on his face in front in front of this hot blonde that he really liked…"

The boy with green eyes looked shocked that Dick was actually playing along but kept his eyes on Dick instead of the on coming threat of the boys behind him.

"Oi you stole my wallet" a gruff voice said. Dick looked up to one of three men had stepped next to the table. He loomed over them and he looked ready to drag green eyes out side. Well Dick couldn't allow that to happen.

"Hey what's your problem" he asked

The muscle head in front of him shifted his gaze to Dick and quickly sized him up but he didn't seem all that impressed. Dick smirked to himself. This thug had no idea who he was dealing with.

"My problem is this little brat just pick pocketed me and stole my wallet".

"Thats bullsh…" The younger boy started to protest but Dick held up his hand as indication to stop and took over, "Sorry you've got the wrong thief, this idiots been here with me all afternoon."

The man started to look unsure of himself but wasn't ready to back down, "Oh yeah well how do you know him?"

Dick rolled his eyes as if it was the most obvious things in the world. "Brothers" Dick waggled his finger between himself and the younger boy to further illustrate the apparent relationship between the two.

Though the younger boy in front of him had Dick's normal dark coloured hair, Dick had actually dyed his hair a very light brown and wore brown colour contacts, being in Gotham was too risky for him not wearing some sort of a disguise. But Dick thought they looked enough like brothers to get away with his lie. The younger boy hadn't yet gained any strong features yet due to his age.

The meat thug in front of them sifted his head from either boy trying to decide if they were lying or not. Dick let out an exaggerated sigh, "Do you need a family tree of something. DNA results? Look this is my kid idiot brother Tim. Okay?"

The thug clenched his fists not liking the clear sarcasm in Dick voice but was unsure of how to respond. It was clear there weren't many brain cells in that thick skull of his.

The younger boy which Dick had designated as 'Red' now due to his t-shirt spoke up, "Yeah and this is my golden-boy older brother, Michelangelo but every one just calls him Mickey,"

Dick glared at Red for giving him such a stupid name and Red merely responded with a sly wink.

The man in front of them was growing more and more confused and uncertain of him self by the second and looked back to his friends to see what they thought but they equally looked as dumb… I mean confused.

Before anyone could speak again the young waitress appeared with presumably her boss who walked over, "Anything the problem here?" he said. Dick looked around and realised they had gained the attention of the whole cafe.

The three thugs saw this as well and mumbled their excuses and started to leave the cafe when Dick stood up. "Hey no problems right?" Dick held out his hand to the meat head thug, who looked angry at the 'peaceful' gesture, but Dick had calculated what his actions would be.

The thug couldn't do much with 20 witness watching so he gingerly shook Dicl's hand. Dick placed his other hand on top of the hand shake. When they broke away Dick slipped his hands into his jacket pockets and the other man sent him a death glare before speedily heading out to his other friends.

Everything settled down once people realised the show was over and manager gave 'Tim' and 'Mickey" a stare warning them not to cause any more trouble and left.

Dick turned back to his now apparent 'brother' who had slumped in his chair a bit. "Michelangelo… really?" Dick said with a small smile on his face.

The other boy rolled his eyes, "Come on you gave me the most boring-est name ever". Dick laughed and he saw Red's mouth twitch slightly in signs of a smile.

Dick called the waitress over, "Can I have a hot chocolate for my brother here and a chicken sandwich please" Dick said softly and the waitress smiled as she wrote it down and went away again.

"So what's your name kid" Dick focused again on the boy front of him. The boy looked back, "Who you calling kid ?" he retorted back.

Dick rolled his eyes, "Come on, you're like 14 aren't you?" "No I'm fifteen" Red rushed in and Dick could clearly see it was a lie and fastened a gaze on to him.

Red tried to uphold the stare but started to squirm a little in his chair until he finally looked away and said "In five months"

Dick smirked feeling satisfied he got Red to tell the truth. He could tell the kid was tough as nails though. This was proven true when he said, "How old are you then... Mickey" with a cheeky smirk hoping to annoy Dick by putting emphasis on the name.

Dick was more amused though, "16" he replied honestly which he was surprised at.

They fell into silence when the waitress sauntered over and placed the hot chocolate and sandwich on the table, leaning a little bit too closely to Dick. Dick just smiled it off politely though which the waitress misread and gave him a wink in return before going over to serve another table.

"Jesus girls always drooling after you". Dick shrugged he couldn't exactly tell this kid he had basically been locked in a basement for over a year and a half.

Dick pushed the sandwich and drink towards the almost 15 year old. Red seemed shocked by the gesture.

"It's just a sandwich Red" Dick said, but the other boy just got more confused, "Red?"

"Don't know your name and you're wearing a red t-shirt" Dick filled in.

"Wow you've got one heck of an imagination golden boy".

"Shut up and eat your sandwich" Dick said while pushing the plate in front of the other.

Red shrugged off the grey hoodie he was wearing and then proceeded to gobbled down the sandwich greedily and Dick started to worry about if this boy was fed enough. As Dick studied the boy in front of him more he gathered the answer was no. He properly liked in a crappy house or on the streets. Maybe Dick could offer his place for the night?

'Wait what?' Dick thought to himself. Where had that thought even come from? It wasn't even his place, it was a safe house which occasionally housed a deadly mercenary.

Looking at the boy though had stirred something inside Dick that he thought he had buried so deep that it was dead; apparently not. But Dick knew he needed to squash that immediately, he had come here for a reason. Wait… why was he here again… arg crap!

Dick looked over to where Jonathan Matthews was sitting only to see he was no longer there. Crap Dick needed to get a hold of himself and get back onto what his assignment was.

Red seemed to have noticed that Dick was starting to fidget. "You need to go somewhere?"

Something flashed across Red's face for the briefest of moments before his face went back to its usual attitude of 'I'm-a-big-boy-who-does-need-anyone' mode.

For the brief moment these two had spent with each over had made Dick feel more alive, more human than he had felt in months and his heart sank thinking he couldn't help this boy. Could he?

No. He couldn't. Dick could only bring this boy into a dangerous world where the only garniture was pain and loss.

Dick looked solely back at the boy, "Yeah sorry"

The kid said nothing but pulled out a wallet to put some money down for the sandwich while standing up. Dick held his hand up "Don't worry I got it" and place a twenty dollar note down.

"I don't take charity" Red looked up angrily, but Dick just smirked "It's not charity, I'm just a gentleman." he said and gave an over the top dramatic bow.

Red's cheeks suddenly flushed with embarrassment and looked around to see if anyone had been watching. Dick using this to his advantage pulled something out of his jacket pocket and place it in Red's hands.

Red looked down at the gold cliche watch now resting in his hands. "Whats this?" Red asked looking back up at Dick.

Dick just smirked, "Thought you could do with a watch to match that wallet you took." Red went to protest but Dick smoothly interrupted him, "Next time when you offer to buy a sandwich with someone else's wallet throw out their ID."

Red felt like face palming for doing such a rookie mistake but Dick laughed it off and clapped a shoulder onto Red's shoulder. Red looked back up into Dick's eyes, "But how did you get that guy's watch…. oh… you took it when you shook his hand."

Dick nodded and both shared a smile. 'Maybe they were that different after all' Jason thought to himself. "I like you golden boy" he said with a smirk and Dick replied, "You too Red".

Red scrunched his face up in dislike of his so called 'nickname'. He turned slightly back towards his chair and picked up his discard hoodie, "It's Jason".

But as Jason turned around to face 'Goldie' again Dick was already gone.

* * *

Dick had just exited the cafe and started to head to where he thought Jonathan Matthews might be. But his mind kept thinking of the younger boy he had just met. "Nice meeting you Jason".

* * *

Dick finally made it back to the safe house a little after ten o'clock at night. Their wasn't any point in following Mr Matthews as he was at home now and not looking to come out until tomorrow. Dick was about to take a shower when he heard the laptop he had set up on the desk make some noise.

Dick's stomach rolled and the spark that this eyes had gained after meeting Jason quickly died out. He knew who was calling him. Dick went over and sat down next to the computer and watched as the computer screen flicked to show a shadowed figure with one pricing metallic eye staring at him.

"Renegade, report" the assassin seemed to almost purr, but Dick didn't linger long on that as he went into a detailed report of his past three days, but made sure he left out his meeting with the younger boy.

After he was done Deathstroke nodded, "Good…. Take out the target tomorrow at the cafe."

"But thats a very crowded place and would cause a lot of panic…" Dick rushed to say but stopped when he saw Slade's single eye narrowed, "Thats an order Renegade".

Dick looked back with the blank, calm mask he had been wearing for 8 months, but beneath the surface he was fighting with pushing all these escaping emotions down.

Dick wasn't sure why he was struggling with this. He could almost believe he had mastered keeping a cap on all of his emotions. Blocking out everything that made Dick, Dick so he could be Renegade and follow Slade's orders.

He hadn't shown the slightest bit of defiance since Heather, because he knew defiance meant pain for him and the death for others. But at the same time Dick knew why his emotions - conscious - was emerging. It was because of Jason. For the first time in months he felt like Dick again. Dick Grayson. Someone who had a personality and connected to someone else, no matter how small, and not just a cold lifeless exterior.

However that realisation didn't make Dick's heart sour, it made his skin crawl. If Slade saw this spark of… something, he would drag Dick back to his side.

Somehow, Dick needed to squash what was left of Dick Grayson and place the mask of Renegade on again that he had slowly built up over the months. Deathstroke's prized apprentice, assassin in training.

Dick realised the tense silence that had descended between Master and Apprentice as he had been too absorbed in his thoughts.

With this in mind, Dick lowered his gaze submissively, "It will be done Master". Days before Dick could have said that and felt disconnected from it all, as if his mind was somewhere else and his body not his own. But now the words tasted bitter on his tongue.

Dick waited patiently for Slade to continue. After a few tense moments Slade finally spoke, "Very well Apprentice. And to answer you question, the client wants the assassination to be bloody and public."

Dick nodded his head but clenched his fists at the thought of who this psychotic client may be. Dick was trying to reconstruct his mask to hide his emotions but he was doing a lousy job.

"I will be there to collect you at 6:00PM tomorrow Renegade. Don't fail."

With that the screen turned black and Dick closed the laptop. He walked over to his bed and fell on it, for once enjoying the way he sunk into it, however his head was spinning.

What was happening to him. He needed to get a grip on himself, of his feelings. He knew he couldn't let this mask he had created fail. It was the only thing keeping the blue eyed boy going and not falling apart.

So he just repeated the mantra that reminded him of this. "I'm not here. I'm not here. I'm not here".


	23. Stray Bullets

_**Previously on Things Change:**_

 _Selina:_ _"I'll try and talk to him Alfred. But I can't promise I can change things"._

 _Alfred:_ _"This is all I can ask from Miss Kyle"._

 _..._

 _Dick:_ _"Nice meeting you Jason"._

 _..._

 _Slade Wilson:_ _"Take out the target tomorrow at the cafe."_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 23: Stray Bullets_**

Dick woke early the next morning and tried to stick to his usual morning training. Waking up his body and preparing his mind for what he had to today. He went for a run, did some stretches and strength building exercises and then showered.

He changed into a pair of faded jeans, a black t-shirt and an old black jacket. Discreet and unmemorable clothing. Something that would let him fade into the panicked crowd after todays events. He reapplied the dull brown contacts, hiding away his stunning blue.

He then walked over to the wardrobe and pulled a pistol. Dick loaded it and place it in the waist band of his jeans. His jacket concealing it from view.

The teenager took a deep breath and steadied himself, the gun seeming to feel heavier then it actually was. Trying to ignore this, Dick constructed his mask again and bury his emotions with it, but preparing himself to kill someone still didn't sit right with him. It was like an insistent mosquito bite you couldn't ignore.

Unfortunately this wasn't his first assassination. The first time he had felt like he was walking over hot coals trying to think of any way to get out of it, but Slade was there leaning over the whole time to make sure he did it. The hit was for some low mob boss who was a far cry from a saint. On that day Dick took a deep breath, ignored the man in front of him and pulled the trigger. Slade hand stayed present on his shoulder throughout the whole thing. A physical reminder of why Renegade had to obey his Master.

Now Dick didn't need that physical contact to remind him what was the cost of his disobedience, anyway that touch felt like a phantom presence; always there, burning into his skin.

The teenager knew the reason why he couldn't disobey, he couldn't risk there being another Heather on his ledgier, but it still didn't make any assassinations he had to do easy.

The boy left the apartment and made his way to the cafe where his target, Jonathan Matthews would soon be for his lunch time meal. Dick focused his mind on the task at hand. 'Just kill him and then get out' Dick continued to repeat himself, along with his mantra, 'I'm not here' convincing himself he was the neutral character of Renegade and burying deep down the screaming blue eyed boy shouting at him why this was so wrong.

So wrapped up on his own mind that Dick was startled out of his thoughts when he heard a voice he recognised.

 _"_ _No comment"_ a deep, gravelly voice spoke. Dick's heart skipped a beat and he slowly turned to the source of the voice. He let out a breath when he saw the voice came from a TV display across the street in an electronic store. But his traitorous tears threatened to spring up when he saw who was on the screen.

Bruce.

Without knowing what he was really doing Dick walked across the abandoned street and towards the TV store. The screen revealed a news channel were some news reporters where trying to get the a quote or at least provoke a reaction from Gotham's Prince.

 _"_ _Mr Wayne! Wayne! Can you tell us anything about the supposed contract with Luthor Corp!"_

 _"_ _Bruce! It is true your buying controlling interest in Oliver Queen's company?"_

Bruce merely brushed past all of them and headed toward his sports car that he had parked there. That was until the last question momentarily froze him.

 _"_ _How are you coping with the year and a half anniversary of your deceased ward?"_

Not many people would have seen it. Only the people who knew Bruce intimately would have seen it. The clenching of his jaw and the slightly twitching of the muscle in his forehead. Bruce was wanting to punch that reporter in the face, but he held himself back and replied with a rather stiff, _"No comment"_ then got into his car and speeded away.

Dick hadn't realised but his breathing had increased. In fact it had more than increased… he was having a panic attack. Dick stumbled down the alley that was next to shop. Clenching his fists he brought them up to his face and leant against the wall; trying to focus on the brick wall in front of him.

However his mind couldn't focus for more than a few second before being brought back to what he had just seen. It had been well over a year since he had seen Bruce. The last image he had of Bruce was the back of his head staring at a computer screen. Now it was replaced by the train wreck that Bruce had now become.

Okay, maybe train wreck was the wrong word Dick thought to himself, but he knew Bruce was a mess. Even though Dick had only seen him for a few moments and through a TV no less, he knew Bruce and he knew he was suffering. And it was because of him.

The teenager wasn't sure how Bruce would deal with Dick's absence. He only found out a few weeks ago that Richard Grayson had long ago been declared dead, thats why no one was looking of him. The last member of the Flying Grayson's was dead to the world and Bruce probably blamed himself.

A suddenly overwhelming urge to run to the Manor and knock on the door hit Dick. He could set everything right. Bruce wouldn't blame himself, everything could be the same.

Dick shifted off of the wall and took a step forward when something cold pressed into the middle of his back. Dick stopped and slowly withdrew the gun that was held there. The object feeling cold in his hands and a painful reminder why he could never go back.

He was a killer. Nothing could change that. He could never go back to what he was and part of the reason for that was because of Bruce. Bruce took away Robin from him. Bruce didn't care about what Dick had to say or how he felt. He didn't even give Dick a chance to speak. Anger started to shimmer inside of the boy.

He closed his eyes and took several cleansing, deep breaths, his sudden anger helping to mediate him. Once he was certain that his mind was clear he opened his eyes and placed the gun back in his waist band.

He was here for a reason and nothing was going to stop Jonathan Matthews body from hitting the ground today. Not even the brief flash of pain, guilt and anger seeing Bruce had caused.

* * *

Most days for Jason Todd were boring. Well, to him they was boring. Living on crime alley might seem like a one day adventure to some people but for him it was his life. Luckily he had a small place there and when he said place he meant rat infested hole but it was the only thing his mum left him after her overdose and his dad… well who the hell was his dad anyway?

Jason attempted school but hated it. Good for nothing teachers thinking they knew better then him and kids with sticks so far up their asses Jason just wanted to remove them and pock their eyes out with them.

Naw… school wasn't Jason's pride and joy like some geeks. He had finally called it quits when a teacher was so fed up with him, he had pulled a chair out from under Jason while he was about to sit down. Sending Jason tumbling to the floor and his class snickering. So Jason responded how any one from Crime Alley resident might. He grabbed his chair and bashed it into his teacher.

And that was the end of school for Jason Todd.

Anyway what could school teach him? Maths was hard but unimportant when you had a calculator. The only science he needed to know he got to watch first hand when drug dealers made the medium or would-be robbers made their bombs. English was a pathetic excuse and just wasted time and the only languages Jason needed to know was how to insult any one effectively in their own language. (Side noted - Jay could curse like a sailor in 5 languages)

So Jason lived day by day, with no real plan for the future. Stole what he could and got into fights when he was bored. There was only one thing that had caused a ripple in his life recently. A know-it-all-teenager who Jason had now designated as 'Goldie', who for some reason cared about him yesterday.

The guy had balls was all Jason could confirm. He helped a stranger, lied to a man twice his size and was a decent enough pick pocket that even Jason didn't see that lift. That was enough to earn Jay's attention to the fact this might be one guy he could maybe at least respect. Maybe.

Thats why Jason had found himself leaning against side of the building with the coffee shop further down the street. He wasn't hoping the stranger would come again. Just wondering. Hey this guy had a story and it must be a damn interesting one and Jason could spot a criminal when you saw one.

As Jason loitered he pulled out a cigarette, placed it in his mouth and lit it. He knew he was too young too smoke but it made him look older and it at least gave him something to do. It was his only source of amusement, breathing in the smoke and blowing it out to form circles that slowly floated away.

Jason saw something out the corner of his eye. Striding into the cafe was the tall, light browned haired boy he had met yesterday. Mr. No-Name. Goldie. Jason shifted his position from the wall and watched the teenager that had gained his curiosity, but it wasn't same dude he had met in the shop.

The guy he met yesterday was a cool dude that seemed able to fend for himself but stay out of a fight. The guy he had just seen seemed… void. Jason rolled his eyes at himself. He sounded one of those stupid poets that Jason wanted to crack their jaws whenever they spoke. But that was the only way he could describe the guy he had just seen.

Jason didn't realises it but his feet started to move towards the coffee shop. That was until he saw a black car speed down the narrow road. Jason had grown instincts that let him know when something was wrong.

And something was wrong.

He had seen that type of car before. A gang who was on the rise had started to use them. Probably borrowed a loan from Penguin to get them. Jason started to think about what gang it might be and how bad this might get when he suddenly remember a tattoo that was on one of the guys arms he stole from yesterday.

"Crap I'm so stupid," Jason muttered to himself. Trust Jason to pick pocket a member from the 'Red Scorpion'. Stupid name but Jason knew their rep and respect was their top priority.

Jason started to sprint down to the street towards where the car had just stopped and rolled down its window. Without thinking he shouted one word.

"Goldie!"

* * *

Dick was so close. He had locked onto where Jonathan Mathews was sitting. He had reached his hand behind him and was about to withdraw his gun when he then heard it.

"Goldie!"

Dick knew someone was trying to warn him. He turned to the front of the shop and saw the black car in front of him and saw the first muzzle flash of a machine gun. His instincts took over and he dropped to the floor. Others weren't so lucky.

A hail of bullets sent shards of glass flying, splintering wood, shattering glasses and dropping bodies.

Dick turned his gaze and looked at the car, but he couldn't make out the figures due to the tinted windows and the gun blocking the shooter. But he did make out a figure that came into view.

Red. Aka Jason.

The boy he had met yesterday and never expected to see again. He saw his black scruffy hair come into view and the faded red shirt. Dick was slightly stunned when he saw the boy leap into the air and deliver a half decent flying kick to the nozzle of the gun, shoving it away and sending a shower of bullets down the street till the moron pressing the trigger decided to stop shooting.

Jason dropped to the floor not knowing how to land such a kick properly. There was another flash of the gun and then the black car speeded away.

Dick was already on his feet and running towards where Red was lying. Once he had reached the boy he was half torn: look to see if the boy was okay or chase after the car and break each one of those moron's skulls.

But the whimper escaping Red's lips made up Dick's mind pretty quickly.

Dick kneeled in front of the younger boy, "Hey its me… the guy from yesterday. Where does it hurt?" Dick asked in as soothing of a voice he could manage.

Dick could see the boy grit his teeth trying not to let any noises of weakness come out but indicated with his eyes to his lower leg.

Gently but quickly moving to his lower leg, Dick pulled up the younger boy's left trouser leg. Dick face turned grim looking at the leg, but it could have been worse. The bullet had gone cleanly through, hitting nothing major. It was going to hurt like a bitch to walk on for a bit but he would recover.

That was if the bleeding was stopped soon. Dick looked around him until his eyes landed on the belt Red was wearing. He started to undo it when you younger boy pushed his hands away muttering "Perv".

Dick rolled his eyes and muttered something un-hearable under his breath while swatting away Jason's hands. He quickly un-looped the belt and fastened it above the bullet wound to slow down the blood flow.

"Oi idiot stay with me" Dick muttered and Jason rolled his eyes. "Most people would be called a hero after what I have just done."

"Yep or an idiot." Dick quipped back, but he did't like how pale Jason had become.

Dick quickly evaluated where he was and remembered there was a hospital half a mile away. Without hesitating he quickly scooped up Red and started to sprint down the road.

It took him around 3 minutes to get there and he had only broken into a light sweat. Once there Dick handed Jason over to the nurses who carted him away but did not allow the teenager to follow any further. Dick clenched his fist trying to resist putting the taller man in front of him on his back.

Dick resided to pacing or fidgeting in his seat. It wasn't until well over two hours later when a doctor finally approached him.

"Is he okay?" Dick quickly jumped in with more concern in his voice then he thought there would be.

"Are you the family of the boy who was brought in?".

"Yes" Dick said without missing a beat. He knew he wouldn't get an information if he said anything otherwise.

The Doctor evaluated him for a second but seemed to except his answer or not care enough to really check, "He'll be fine. All things considered it was a well placed bullet. Only tissue damage and minimal blood loss, I'm guessing due to your actions."

Dick let out a breath and felt his shoulders relax. He ran a hand through his hair with relief and let a small smile spread across his lips. The Doctor continued though, "However I want to know why the wound was a bullet wound?"

Dick paused for a second before smoothly lying, "Me and my brother were getting a drink at a cafe half a mile from here when there was a drive by shooting. My brother got hit and in my panic I ran here".

It wasn't a total lie. It was like a 87% of the truth. The doctor nodded and replied "Guessed as much as other wounded people have been brought in for the past half an hour. But next time wait for the ambulance kid okay?"

Dick nodded his head not really listening to the doctor and eyed at he door behind the doctor wanting to know if he could see Jason yet. The doctor seemed to notice this. "You can see him but the police will soon be there to take his statement. They'll need yours as well."

Dick froze at this and cursed in his head. He couldn't see the police. He was a recognised face among most of the police due to the number of kidnappings he had been in when he was a kid. There was a chance they wouldn't recognise him because he had grown up a lot and he was supposed to be dead. But he couldn't take that chance.

The doctor pointed to where Jason was and Dick started to make his way down the hall until he found the room where Jason was.

The boy in front of him looked small. He looked his age for once and Dick felt his heart swell for him. He was too young to be shot. To be out on the streets. But in his heart of hearts Dick knew he couldn't change that. Not without increasing the chance of getting Jason killed.

Jason's eyes started to slightly open when a shadow fell across him. He looked up too see Goldie and let out a lazy smile.

"Hey have you tried morphine. Its awweesome" he said dragging out the word in his drug delirious state. Dick let a cackle out due to Jason's purely blissful mood.

"Hey Red" Dick said but Jason randomly started to wave his hand around, not really having control of his limbs yet. "Stop with the red. It's like calling someone hood cause they wear a hoodie. It's Jason. Jay…son. Think of it like the son of a Jay bird" he drawled out and Dick couldn't help his smile brighten as Jason's stupidity. It was the most relaxed he had seen the boy, the effects of morphine was always a hilarious experience.

"Glad you haven't let getting shot get you down".

Jason raised his shoulders in an over emphasised shrug, before retorting "Chicks dig scars" he mumbled.

Jason tried struggling up but quickly flopped back down away. Dick went to help but Jason stopped him, "Nooooo. I can". The younger boy struggled up again and this time he was successful in getting himself up into sitting position. He leant forward grabbing Dick's shirt. Into his ear Jay whispered, "You've gotta go. Police will be here soon".

Dick leant back and stared at Jason in the eye. "I don't…"

"Shhhhh….. I know things. I see things others don't. I know police not good idea with you. Now go before I throw my shoe at you".

Dick was startled at what Jason was saying but leant back and crossed his arms at the shoe comment. "You're not wearing shoes".

Jay widened his arms and looked around, "Then I find one!" he declared and started to get up but Dick easily pushed him back down, "Stay" he ordered.

"Only if you leave" Jason replied crossing his arms like a moody toddler.

"Okay Jay-bird".

Jason lay back down and huffed and before either of them realised it he was asleep.

Dick watched him fondly for a few moments. That was until he heard the police announce their arrival down the corridor. Dick spared Jason another glance before making his way out the hospital towards the flat. All thoughts of what he had meant to be doing today escaped from his head.

But someone had not forgotten.

* * *

Dick was greeted back to the apartment with fist to the head. Dick was sent sprawling towards a wall but quickly lashed out with his foot. However his leg was grasped and used to shove Dick's back into the wall.

A hand gripped around Dick's throat and it was only then he saw who it was. It was his 'Master' in front of him. Dick went slack in the grip knowing it was better that way. Once Slade saw the fight leave his apprentice's eyes he dropped him to the floor. Dick remained there, kneeling knowing Slade preferred this submissive position.

"What happened?" Slade said it so quietly that it was far more terrifying then Slade yelling.

"Master I was about to complete the assassination when a drive by shooting occurred". Dick kept his eyes low, staring at anything apart from the looming figure over him.

"So why did you not kill him during or after the shooting Apprentice?"

Dick hesitated knowing he couldn't tell the truth about the young boy he had become attached to with the few moments they had spent together. Slade was displeased by his lack of response and backhanded Dick, who's head cracked to the side. He felt blood dribble down his chin from his now split lip.

"He was out of view once I was out of the way from being shoot. Then the police came and I had to run as I could have been recognised by one of them" the words tumbling out of his mouth in a pretty convincing lie. But Slade's eye narrowed.

"Then where have you been for the past 4 hours Apprentice".

Dick licked his lips giving him time to think, immediately regretting it due to the copper taste in his mouth. "The area was surrounded by incoming ambulances and police so I had to stay put in a hiding spot until it was clear. I was too suspicious and would have been stopped due to the blood." Dick hadn't actually realised until now he had blood on himself. It must of been from carrying Jason and now that he focused on himself he felt minor cuts of his own from all the broken glass that the bullets caused.

Slade studied him for several minutes. The tension was so thick it could have been cut with a knife. The mercenary slowly lowered himself until he was level with Dick. He grabbed his chin so they were staring each other straight in the eye.

After an intense staring match, Slade dropped Dick's chin and stood back up.

"Never mind apprentice, this failure has presented an opportunity". Dick felt his heart quicken and his brow creased with confusion.

Slade smoothly went over to the computer that was set up and hit the play button of a local news channel.

Jonathan Mathews appeared on screen and he appeared to be giving a statement.

 _"_ _This type of random, destructive violence is what I have been warning the government we need to directly confront. Criminals now fear the night due to the menace Batman and now commit their horrors in broad daylight meaning no one is safe. Our children are at risk of now seeing blood at a young and tender age and we need to put a stop to it._

 _I do not know if I was the target of this attack or if it was just a demonstration in power but I will no longer stand for it. This city needs to be protected during all times of the day and we need to be setting up communities and groups that can stop people falling down this rabbit hole of murder and violence. We need to stop his gang violence._

 _Gotham deserves better then this. The citizen and people of Gotham deserve better then that."_

Applause went up for the soon to be Mayor's speech and the scene quickly changed back to news room at Gotham News.

 _"_ _That was Jonathan Matthews candidate for Mayor elections, who has just announced that he had pushed forward his public speech to Saturday outside of City Hall"._

The news footage was paused and Dick shifted his eyes to Slade in understanding. Dick was going to have to shoot Jonathan Matthews on live TV in front of thousands.

Before Dick could say another word or even take another breath, Slade had snaked in front of him and wrapped his steel hand around his neck, slowly dragging him back up to standing. "Don't fail me again Apprentice. And Just remember Renegade, everyone you get close to… dies. Don't make that mistake."

With that Dick was left gasping for breath.

* * *

Selina couldn't help but smile looking at Batman. He was forever intimidating and covered in shadow, but the way he was crouched observing the street below reminder her of some of the ugly gargoyles that were littered throughout the city. Try as she might she had not been able to get rid of all of them, no matter how many two bit thugs she threw against them.

Batman seemed to sense her presence but choose to ignore it. Selina let out an exhausted sigh, "What? No longer worthy of acknowledgement?" she said with a hint of humour, trying to keep things light hearted.

"Catwomen" Batman stated and sucked out any humour Selina was planning to use to manipulate Batman. Unsure of what to do as Batman still hadn't shifted his position and further acknowledge her. It wasn't particularly the easiest position to flirt subtly with and Selina was not going to throw herself at Batman, she had standards.

Thinking on impulse she walked to Batman's side and assumed a similar position as him. They stayed like that for ten minutes. Batman apparently observing something and Selina noticing she really needed to get a manicure.

"Catwomen" Batman grunted out again with a slight hint of annoyance. "Batman" Catwomen replied light heartedly and with an air of innocence.

Batman finally deemed Selina with a glare, "What do you want?"

Selina matched his glare with a sweet smile, "For you to stop being selfish".

The cat burglar didn't even see the dark knight move but one moment they were both squatting on the roof and the next Selina was being pressed against a wall with Batman tightly grabbing her wrists. "What do you mean?"

Batman's eyes shown with a ferocity which she had only seen a few times and she had to push against her instinct to back down. She avoided fights and rarely started them. But determined not to back down she straightened up her body as much as she could in the current position she was in and leaned in, inches away from Batman's face.

"You know exactly what I mean".

If someone, somehow, come onto the roof now they would have thought the dark knight and skilled thief were having a romantic moment. But it was the exact opposite. It was a battle of wills and neither one was known to back down.

"I don't know what you're talking about Selina. Go home". Selina could feel Bruce's deep voice resonate in his chest.

"Not until we have a little chat Batsy" all humour gone from her voice but Selina couldn't stop her voice sounding slightly seductive. It was just part of her natural charm.

She saw Batman slightly shift in his position, and took it was her cue to start talking. Selina looked at where Batman was grabbing her hands and back at Batman indicating for him to let go. However he seemed to ignore this and just let a small growl of annoyance escape from his throat.

Selina rolled her eyes, "This is what I mean, you've become aggressive and always seeking to control things. You can't control anything Batman, no matter how hard you try."

To prove her point she brought up her heeled boot and struck it down onto Batman's knee and then lashed out with her claws making Batman move back. However the claws still came into contact with his chin and a little bit of blood came to the surface.

"See what I mean" Selina purred out but made sure to keep her distance. She knew she was playing a dangerous game.

Batman sent her a death glare which she only received the pleasure of a few times and she knew she was playing double douche with a very narrow line right now, but someone had to smack Batman backdown into place.

"You can't control the world. Hell you can't even control Gotham. You can fight it, help it and improve it but not control. Free will and all, it sure is a pain in the ass."

Even though some shadow had fallen across Batman's face she could have sworn Batman just rolled his eyes at her. Selina cocked her leg out and placed her hands on her hips.

"Don't dismiss me. You know I don't take to that well" she let out a wicked smile. Batman knew she would never hurt anyone but that didn't mean she wouldn't take it out on some prized and rare collectables.

Once Selina was content he had gotten the message she continued. "Things have been bad recently with you and its effecting everyone, even Gotham. You can't deal with everything in anger and you sure as hell can't bury yourself in work so you don't have to look at yourself in the mirror".

She saw Batman clenched his fists. 'Good' she thought, she might be getting somewhere. She slowly started to walk forward to him until they where touching. She gently wrapped her hands around his and slowly started to prize his hands open until her hand slotted in his.

Looking back up to his eyes she spoke again but spoke in a whisper this time, "Bruce, what happened to Dick happened. I don't know who's to blame but you must forgive yourself at some point. At least try to move past it. Anything could have happened once he walked out of that house. It just happened to be the worst case of scenario this time."

She could feel Batman tensing up and wanting to flee. Well, Bruce would argue that the Batman didn't flee but Selina was always able to see through that bullshit. She moved one of her hands to cradle the side of his face and to make sure he stayed put.

"It's done" she said softly, "and you can't ignore it or dwell on it any longer. You have to start living again Bruce. Don't pretend nothings changed and everything is fine and dandy, cause we both have seen to much of the world to believe that."

Selina looked into those weary blue eyes and knew something was going in. If only just a little.

"Greive, cry, scream but then move on. Don't try and replace what you have lost but if you don't close this chapter Bruce you'll never be ready to start the next. You're in limbo right now and if you carry on like this…. you won't be able to carry on. Gotham will lose their Dark Knight. People who love and care for you will lose a great man. Albeit a stubborn and idiotic one."

She said the last line a bit coyly. She hadn't expected to say the things she had. But then again she didn't really have a plan beforehand but her cat instincts never failed her.

The thief took a couple of steps back and Batman almost looked like he missed the closeness they had just said.

"Now take your now advice. Go home and thank that over concerned Butler and say bless the heavens you have him watching over you". With that she leaped off the roof and vanished into the darkness below.

* * *

 _A.N. Just wanted to thank you all the support! This fanfic now had over a hundred reviews! Woop Woop! 3_

Lets see how many more it can get! Please tell me what you think, love seeing your reviews. Makes me do a little happy dance :)

Until next time

MM


	24. Scales

_Previously on Things Change_

 _Barbra was offered and excepted help from Lucius Fox._

 _Batman and Selina talked — more like she talked — about grief and moving on._

 _Dick briefly sees Bruce on TV. Later he fails to kills his target due to a drive by shooting, which Jason is injured in. Afterwards Dick is comforted by Slade about what occurred that afternoon and lies to him. Then is informed that the assassination will occur a few days from now at a public speech._

 _On with the show..._

* * *

 ** _Chapter 24: Scales_**

Dick hadn't really slept for the past few days. Slade had left the safe house to stay at another facility but it still made Dick feel uneasy, on edge, to know that Slade wasn't far away. In the back of his mind he knew his Master had been watching his apprentice but somehow Dick hadn't felt that constant surveillance from the older man while being back in Gotham and Dick had slipped. The facade of Renegade had cracks starting to show now, all due to meeting a young boy with black hair and a red shirt.

But Dick couldn't afford to let that happen. Nothing in his life had changed. He was still under Slade's thumb and he couldn't face his family, not after what he had done. There was too much risk in fighting against Slade and Renegade couldn't let himself break.

The young mercenary was currently climbing a fire escape to a roof top. Not particularly stealthily when assassinating someone in broad day light, but with the busy streets below and the fact that this was Gotham, crime ridden city of the world, stealthiness was not really needed. You just needed to not be noticed, and Renegade was very good at fading into the background. Never seen so never suspected so never caught.

However Dick still felt uncomfortable and was fidgeting with his clothing. Normally he would wear his "Renegade" costume but Slade had said to wear civilian clothing so he could blend in with the crowds afterwards. He was also more likely to be spotted wearing a black ninja outfit with swords strapped to his back.

But it was harder to keep the mental wall of Renegade up when he looked so… normal.

The only thing Dick was holding right now that would elude people to what he was about to do was the big black bag slung sideways across his back. Once reaching the side of the roof Dick scanned the area below. Crowds where gathering and camera crews were setting up.

As crews unloaded their equipment, Dick unloaded his bag and removed the sniper rifle.

As camera men checked battery and removed the lens caps off of cameras, Dick snapped his gun together, loaded it and clipped on his scope.

As the reporters checked their appearances over and civilian's toke their places, Dick lay on the ground and lined up his sight to wear the podium stood, getting into the perfect position to wear Jonathan Mathews would soon be standing.

Once Dick was set up he started running Deathstroke's instructions though his mind.

* * *

 _Dick was kneeling in the apartment while his master lorded over him. Slade had become stricter with his apprentices show of respect towards him due to his failure the other day. That cold eye never shifting from his Apprentice's bowed head._

 _"_ _Apprentice tomorrow you will kill the target with no faults. I except only one bullet to leave that chamber." Deathstroke threaten softly. Knowing to not make eye contact, Dick kept his gaze low and said, "Yes Master"._

 _"_ _Afterwards you will come back to this apartment and throughly clean it of any evidence that you were here. Extract will be at 22 hundred hours on the southern air strip. Do not be late."_

 _Slade moved to leave the small apartment but paused beside Dick placing his hand on his apprentice's head. Dick muscles slightly constricted not wanting to be touched but that was all he did._

 _"_ _You will not fail me apprentice. Understand."_

 _It wasn't a question. It was a statement. A promise of what would come if he failed; and Slade Wilson always kept his promises._

* * *

Normally on these kind of jobs Dick tried to keep his mind clear but with the week he had had, that wasn't going to happen.

Instead he tried to enjoy what he could from the moment. Like the faint breeze brushing past him and the warmth of his face. How the sky was lighter in the distance then it was above him and provided a contrast to some of the silhouetted buildings in the distance.

Though these things helped a little they could never really distract Dick from cold metal that lay in his hands and what was about to happen. Taking in steady breaths and slowly releasing them, Dick ran though all the reasons why he must do it. But after a few times the list seemed to be getting smaller till only one name remained on that list. Heather.

Thats the real reason why he was doing this. So no one would suffer like she did. Needlessly suffer where nothing was gained from it. She would have died any way and Dick took the selfish route and just prolonged her misery. She died for no reason or gain, it was just a loss of a life that should never have happened. But it did, because Dick wasn't willing to fall sooner, so instead he fell harder and with far more blood on his hands.

Dick heard applause go up and saw Jonathan Matthews take the stage and begin his speech. **"Ladies and Gentlemen of Gotham…,** " but the words didn't really land in Dick's head. He heard the politician before him perfectly but he was hearing someone else's, the voice in his head sending a shiver down his spine. Heather's voice from his memories saying, _'please… pl…ease… Dick…'_

 **"…** **Gotham is a city that I was born and raised in…"**

Dick's hands started to shake ever so slightly. Dick rolled his shoulders back and tried to relax but the voice in his head didn't stop speaking. _'please… I can't handle this…'_

 **"** **and it has been plagued by menaces with guns in masks…"**

 _'_ _You're just as evil as the other man'_. Dick lined up his shot again; positioning it so it was a clean shot at the target's head.

 **"…** **and it is our duty to make it a brighter tomorrow where we can rely on…"**

 _"_ _Please.. Please… just do it!"_ Dick lowered the gun a few centimetres.

A single shot rang out and the midnight haired boy could have believed the world had paused. Nothing made a sound and no one moved, no one really realising what had happened.

A voice silky smooth spoke in Dick's head. ' _You have one choice now Richard and that is how you let people die.'_

Suddenly everything seemed to have speeded up again and there was a chaos of screams, movement and panic. No one noticing the figure on the roof getting up and leaving. He left this gun behind because it would be too suspicious to carry in a crowd and it couldn't help the police in anyway. Their was no DNA on it or paper trial to find out who it belonged to. It would only tell what the authorities already knew, Jonathan Matthews had been hit with a bullet.

The figure slipped off the roof and into the chaotic crowd below, unnoticed and unseen.

The little assassin held his nerve until he was half way back to the safe house. He was in some back alley when his knees finally gave out and he started hyperventilating. The thought of what he had done making him fell sick.

What had he turned into? He didn't want to turn into the monster he had but he couldn't see a way out. He had done too much to look his family in the eye, which is how Slade had planned everything. He was too late to find a way out of it. He should have found a way out of Deathstroke's grasp sooner. Bruce would have been able to.

'God… Bruce.' Dick's heart bled a little more. Bruce was in this city. The same city his son had been sent to for an assassination. The same city he had sworn to protect. Who the hell was he any more.

Dick mourned for the past he used to have. He so desperately wanted to go back. To curl up in Bruce's arms. Hug his friends. Eat Alfred's flawless cooking. Just forget. But Dick couldn't forget, he was forever tainted. He was a murderer. He was now Renegade.

When he had seen Bruce on TV the other day he so badly wanted to help him. He had seen the pain he was in and it was obvious he was pushing everyone away and it was because Dick had 'died'. But the dark haired teen knew that the best thing for Bruce was for him to believe the son he loved had died, instead of seeing the monster he had become.

Dick might be in hell but he would find a way to keep going without dragging anyone he cared about down with him. If Dick showed up now Bruce would never be able to look at him and he would never forgive himself. But there had to be something Dick could do to help Bruce.

Then there was the street kid he had met. He knew he was an orphan. He had that look in his eyes which Dick saw staring back at him in the mirror. Jason was tough but he was a kid. How long had he been alone? No one deserved to be alone.

Dick wanted to help but he wasn't a hero anymore. He was a killer. Anyone he touched now would suffer and die. Slade would see to that.

The image of the blood splattering around the politician Dick had just shot came to mind. With that thought, the teenager crawled onto his knees and threw up behind a dumpster. He slowly stood up, hugely aided by the help of the wall, and staggered away slightly but the voices in his head wouldn't shut up. Voices screaming round his head.

 _"Robin's great but at the end of the day he's human."_

 _"_ _Robin you're fired, my decision is finale."_

 _"_ _An innocent will suffer and you will kill"_

 _"_ _I'm so sorry Heather"_

 _"_ _If you contact anyone from your old life, I'll put a bullet in each and every one of them"._

 _"_ _At the end of the day, Robin's only a little kid"_

 _"_ _Then you're just as evil as that other man"_

 _"_ _Grayson?"_

 _"_ _Richard…"_

 _"_ _Dick!"_

 _"_ _Renegade"._

 _'_ _Traitor'._

* * *

Barbra had gotten used to her dad being in danger. You don't become Commissioner without making a few enemies, but that didn't mean she didn't have a small panic attack every time she heard there was a local shooting. It also didn't mean she doesn't run to the door whenever her dad came home and squeezed the life out of him. He was the only parent she had left so of course she loved and appreciated him.

She still did all that but the only difference now was that after everything, when the night settled in she got ready and went out onto the street, just like her dad did.

Earlier, she was able to get a brief glimpse of the case file and from what she had seen who ever had shot Jonathan Matthews was a professional. It wasn't his or hers first kill and wasn't going to their last.

Though Barbra didn't like to admit it, if she met this person on a lonely rooftop she knew she would have to run and not fight them. The new and improved Batgirl could take easily take down some street thugs, but she couldn't take much more, due to a certain bat refusing to train or even acknowledge her.

But she was a lot safer then she used to be. Before she wore a flimsily, fabric soft outfit that did nothing for protection and wasn't even that good at preventing her from getting cold. And as for weapons, all she had was herself. She tried using a police baton once but she had no clue how to use one effectively and she had no way to carry it.

No, though Barbra knew she was a badass and could be a pretty good fighter is someone bothered to actually train her, she knew where her real skill lied, and it was information. She knew which people to go to to get the most recent word on the street, how to properly surveil a building to find out what was going on, she was becoming a reliable oracle of information. She had been building contacts and connections over the year as Batgirl and though she could stop a random muggings she had done a lot more catching wind of something bigger going down and pointing the correct people in that direction.

Lucius Fox had really helped her over the year since their first meeting * and his offer of help. He had taught her so much about tech and computers that Barbra now struggled to meet a system she couldn't hack or a machine she couldn't disassemble then reassemble. Not only that, Fox had also given her real armour. A suit built only for her and…. well it proved to be the coolest birthday gift she had ever gotten.

Batgirl was currently standing on top of a roof top that stared directly opposite the council hall. This was the rooftop where the assassin's gun had been taken from. Though the gun had been found, which was normally a big lead but there was always the odd anomaly that proved the rule wrong.

Barbra looked around the rooftop and it was weird. The scene was too clean. There were no clues or even indication that anyone had even been up here. A superstitious person might say a ghost fired the gun, or the gun fired itself.

What Batgirl could tell was that the guy or girl who killed Jonathan Mathews was a good shot. There was a slightly wind today and the distance was no easy feet. Her thoughts where interrupted when a new shadow appeared on the roof.

"Batman good to see you as usual," Barbra said dryly, "What is it time for the usual lecture of the week? Go on I wont stop you". Barbra turned away ready to tune out the dark knight as she continued her observation of the scene. She was use to Batman usual manor of disapproval and intimidation directed towards her. It was getting old.

"What have you gathered from the scene?"

Barbra almost tripped over her own feet at the comment. Turning around slowly she gazed up at Batman. 'Batman was asking her opinion?' she thought to herself.

"Umm… a… ummm" she stuttered out in slight shock but then berated herself for acting like stupid teenager, heck she was 19 a legal adult! Pulling her self together she started again, "Who ever this guy was, they were a professional and this wasn't their first killing. Their organised and efficient. Well, trained too, probably a ghost with no traceable history or background".

Batman nodded but no expression came across his face. "He's a mercenary. Hired contract, unlikely to find him until he's hired again. But this just raises more questions then it answers." Batman grounded out in his deep voice.

Batgirl's mouth dropped slightly. Batman was having a conversation with her. Batman was having a conversation with her! Barbra resisted the urge to so a self high five or victory dance and tried to keep a cool, professional manner.

She tried to focus on what Batman just said to her. 'Raises more questions then it answers'. What question? The wheels in her head slowly turned.

Thinking a loud, "Who hired him?" Batman nodded his head.

They stood awkwardly for a few seconds. Well, Batman wasn't awkward because he was Batman. Trying to disguise her nervous and keep her voice from shacking Batgirl asked, "So what now?"

Batman levelled her gaze at her. "You go home"

Barbra rolled her eyes at the commonly said sentence between them but stopped mid roll when it properly settled in her mind. It wasn't said like all the other times. It was somehow said softer, not the usual arrogance was behind it. Weird. Did Batman get something knocked into him recently? Dropped on his head recently.

Batman turned to leave but before he left he turned his head back, "Good outfit" and then vanished into the night.

Once again Barbra was left alone on a roof with more questions then before. She wondered is this was how her dad felt when he encountered the bat of Gotham.

* * *

The machine that was projecting the Bat signal in the sky was humming away. That was until the Commissioner powered it down, resigned to call it a night and head into the warmth of the precinct.

"Commissioner" a deep gravely voice sounded behind him, sending old law enforcement officer off balance from surprise. "Would it kill you to knock Batman!" No matter how many years Gordon had been doing these rooftop meetings, the whole appearing and disappearing thing was never not going to be unnerving for him.

The Commissioner quickly re-gathered himself and faced the direction the fearsome Batman was, in all his dark, intimidating shadow glory.

"Batman, you're well aware of the candidate for Mayor, Jonathan Matthews, was targeted for assassination."

There are no reply, so Gordon took this it as his queue to continue. "Well he survived but he was in critical condition for a while. He's expected to wake up but not anytime soon. He's being kept in an isolated unit at Gotham General, and until the threat is caught the US Marshall's have agreed to put him and his family into protective custody."

Batman grunted, absorbing the information. Either the shooter wasn't an accurate shot, eliminating some of the more professionals or the objective was just to wound.

"The slug we pulled out of him was a 338 papua magnum, which fits with the Barrett M98B we found on the roof. But we probably won't get lucky with tracking it down since it was probably acquired of the black market but were still running it through the systems now, see if anything comes up."

Gordon watched the shadow in the corner of the building once he had finished his saying is piece on all the information the police had found. He had long ago learnt that he would not received any of the same information from Batman unless the dark knight required his help.

There was just one thing that was bothering him about this case. It was a tiny detail and it would easily be overlooked. Maybe he was looking too much into it and the reason for it was the most obvious reason but it still pulled at the old mans mind.

"What Commissioner?"

Gordon was snapped out of his thoughts, not even realising his mind had wondered that much.

"Urg sorry… it's just the placement of the bullet. Two centimetres to the right or three to the left and the guy would have been dead. It might have just been an unlucky shot for the shooter or…"

"Or a perfect shot for a professional to incapacitate their victim but not kill" The dark knight finished.

The Commissioner nodded in agreement. He waited for a beat but knew the dark knight wasn't going to say anything, so the old man turned and started to walk back to the door on the rooftop. Just before leaving he scanned over the rooftop and found no trace that Batman was there, or that he was even there.

"Still cool" The commissioner said a loud to no one in particular.

* * *

A figure was leaping across the roof tops of Gotham. Unlike other times though he did not twirl, spin and twist unnecessary. He did the bare minimal to get to the southern air strip. He didn't carry anything he wasn't meant to and he wore black jeans and a black long sleeve top.

The shadow had spent the afternoon cleaning the apartment and returning it to the state that made it seem no one had ever lived in it. Unfortunately he also spent some of time throwing up what little he had eaten that day. It wasn't unusual and Dick didn't complain. After what he had done he thought it was the least that could happen to him. He deserved so much more.

He knew the likely hood of the politician, he was hired to kill, actually being dead was small. He placed the bullet perfectly. And after the untraceable email he had sent to the police, hopefully they'ld take his warning that if Jonathan Matthews did stay dead then he would be dead.

But it didn't matter that Dick had done it. He had still done something unforgivable and he had to somehow survive with that.

The teenager stopped for a brief moment when he thought he heard a noise and was about to start running again when he heard it again. He closed his eyes and tilted his head towards the sound. It was a slight coughing. Not sure why, he started to approach the sound when a familiar red shirt came into view.

Dick was about to move away when Jason turned his head and spotted him. Dick felt a bit like a deer in the headlights. They both looked at each other not sure what to do. The younger boy seemed uncomfortable by this silence so decided to break it, "You're so weird."

"Oh yeah? How'd you gather?" Dick was surprised how easy it was to fall back into conversation with a boy he didn't even know existed until early on this week. Dick didn't real think he deserved to be able to fall into such normal, almost friendly, conversation.

This train of thought was broken when Jason grunted out, "You're a pickpocket, you help complete strangers who could be psychotic for all you know, don't want to get tangled up with the police and like to run on top of roof tops at night time. If you were a bit taller I'ld say your Batman."

"Naw, I'm way too skinny to be Batman" Dick joked, ignoring the hurt that briefly flashed inside of him at the mention of Batman.

Jason gestured for older boy to sit down next to him. Dick's body seemed to be on auto pilot because for some reason he complies and throws his legs over the side of the building unconcerned about the height.

"You're a mystery wrapped in a taco Goldie" They both let out a small laugh at the odd metaphor, pretty sure it came from a popular Tv show.

"Urg… I don't even know you name! If I said pretty please would you tell me?" Jason asked sarcastically but Dick shakes his head, "Ignorance is bliss".

The smaller boy snorts in annoyance, "What it this stupid sayings day?"

"You started it Jay-bird" Dick replied while raising an eyebrow.

"You officially suck at nicknames". Dick merely replied by bumping his arm into Jay's shoulder. It felt oddly comforting, as if they could be brothers.

Dick looked at Jason and saw he was still wearing the same tattered shirt that desperately needed to go in the laundry or more appropriately a bin, "Didn't I give you a pretty expensive watch to take care of yourself?" Richard blurted out, not being able to stop himself from asking. Something about this boy brought out a caring instinct in Dick.

"Yeah you did." Jason replied gruffly not wanting to go into it. He didn't like talking about his life.

Dick kept his bright blue eyes levelled on Jason, Dick had left the brown colour contacts in the safe house but luckily it was too dark for Jason to notice his different coloured eyes. The younger boy knew he wasn't getting away with such a vague reply.

"Some kids needed it more then I did. Its better then the alternative of getting sent to a home where you basically become thieves to survive the women who owns the orphanage "

"What are you going on about Jay?" Dick asked confused.

Jay huffed out a breath of air, hating how bad he was with words. He was never one to explain himself clearly. "If you live on crime alley you get sent to a certain orphanage. It passes inspection every time but the women who runs it gets the kids to steal for her to pay for rent. If you live long enough she practically sells you off to a gang when you turn 18. So I help out some of the family's who live around me, so there kids don't get taken away."

Dick blinked a couple of times absorbing all of this. Crap how did no one know about this? Well, that is Gotham for you, the land of the corrupt.

"You're a modern day Robin Hood Jay-bird" Dick spoke softly. He was shocked how much this kid cared about others. It was easy to be selfish when you only had to look after yourself. Jay had a pretty rough exterior and Dick could see it was easy for him to land in trouble, but it seemed like Jay was an onion. You discovered something new with each layer you pulled back.

Jason grunted at the Dick's reply but for some reason it felt oddly flattered by it.

They both stared out across Gotham, absorbing the scene and the cool night air. It was strangely quiet for Gotham. Guess all the psychopaths and evil grand masterminds took the day off. Well, all except one. 'Oh yeah' Dick thought to himself. How was it whenever he was with Jason he seemed to forget about Slade.

Dick looked at his watch but he knew he had time to get to where he was supposed to, he could stay in bliss for a bit longer.

Jason noticed the movement though, "You got a booty call or something to get to". Dick tried to hide the shiver that went through him at the idea. "Well, leave some cash or something, my charming company comes with a cost".

Dick looked at Jason and knew he wouldn't take any money this time, even with the joke he just made. Even if it wasn't going to be for himself. The only reason it worked last time was because Dick had mysterious disappeared and Dick wanted to say goodbye this time. He wasn't going to see this kid again.

Looking around him, Dick tried to see if any ideas would come to him about how he could somehow help this kid. He didn't want to leave him on the streets. This kid was smart, kind, loyal and deserved better then what life had dealt him.

It was also clear this kid wanted to help people, to fight, but in the life he lived now that was more likely to get him dead or worse.

Dick was about to look back to Jason when his eyes caught hold of something. As an idea formed in his head and a small smile graced his lips. "Hey see that car down there?" Dick pointed towards it, Jason nodded, "You would get a lot for the wheels or what ever you could strip off it".

Jason didn't look convinced, "Maybe but what the heck is it, I haven't seen a car like that before. I don't think I would be able to get anything off it."

Dick nodded in understanding but decided to push the right buttons on Jason, "Hey if you not up to it I get it. Its alright to be sacred" Dick said as sincerely as he could while placing a hand on Jason's shoulder.

Jay shoved it off, "Oi idiot. I don't get scared." Dick raised an eyebrow, winding up Jason more.

"Fine dick-face I'll prove it" Jason said while standing up favouring one of his legs more due to his healing leg form the bullet wound. Dick was slightly thrown off because the other boy had said his name but he quickly recovered when he realised he said it as an insult.

Dick slowly stood up as well. There wasn't much in a height difference between Jason and Dick and Dick knew the younger boy would pass his height.

Jason caught Dick watching him and realised this was properly goodbye… but he didn't want to say goodbye yet. Jason was no softy but there was something about Goldie that Jason could't pin point. Something that made him comfortable.

Jay opened his mouth to talk but realised he had nothing to say. So instead he held out his hand. Dick was surprised the gesture but shock his hand and then drew him into a hug.

The younger boy didn't relax into it. He hadn't been hugged in years. It was a foreign concept to him but he kinda liked it, even if he was awkward about it.

They pulled apart and Jason jumped down to the fire escape. He looked up and shouted "Bet I get all four wheels off" and then moved down to the street and towards the dark car.

Dick grinned, "Deal" and started back on his route to the air field, wondering what was going to happen, but somehow he knew Jason was going to be okay. Batman wasn't going to ignore a boy who needed help and he always wasn't going to ignore someone who tried to steal the wheels of his prized Batmobile.

Maybe they might end up helping each other. Maybe Dick could finally close this chapter in his story with fewer regrets then he already had, cause he knew he couldn't escape from the life he had now. Not without needless more deaths. Hopefully though he could help someone else to escape from their life.

And maybe a certain stubborn Bat wouldn't make the same mistakes and help a boy to find a home, in what ever form that came from.

* * *

 _AN: * refers back to chapter 17 in case any of you had forgotten or were confused_

 _ **sorry if there are more mistakes then usually** i posted this half asleep but determined to give you guys something. __Trying to update weekly so you guys don't get annoyed with me so hope you guys appreciate it! ;)_

 _Thanks for all the continued support from everyone! Please_ ** _review_** _they make me so happy!_

 _Till next time xx_

 _M_


	25. Changes

_Previously on Things Change_

 _Dick persuades Jason to steal wheels from Batmobile and t_ _he Team starts to heal._

 _On with the show!_

* * *

 **Chapter 25: Changes**

Sirens were blaring. Red and blue lights flickering around the street below. There was talking and yells of so called 'innocence'. But above on the rooftops there was two lone shadows watching everything unfold.

"Looks like my jobs done" Jason said. He was tired, it had been a long couple of weeks infiltrating the orphanage and gathering intel and evidence so Batman could take it to the police but it had been worth it. The orphanage was being shut down, the kids moved to a better place and the right people were going to jail. Jason knew a lot of families would sleep happier tonight without fear of their kid being sent.

To be honest though the adrenaline was starting to wear off, it had been some of the best weeks in Jason life. Working with the biggest badass in the known universe and actually doing something meaningful for a change. Who would have thought that all this happened because he was betted to try and steal some wheels from the Batmobile. Not that Jason knew it was the Batmobile at the time.

Of course it wasn't the most friendly encounter to begin with. Jason was half way through getting the first tyre off when he saw a shadow fall over him and heard a growl coming it. Jason thought he would never see that dark figure that close again after he had run off but he had been very, very wrong.

The next thing he knew the Dark Knight of Gotham had found him and was trying to 'help' him by sending him to an orphanage for 'troubled youths'. Mill's Orphanage it was called. The Bat of Gotham had actually dropped Jason off at its door, but Jason never went in. A couple nights later the Bat found Jason again and asked him why he had run away.

Jason just snorted a reply saying 'wasn't my home in the first place', but once he had been fixed with the Bat glare he had quickly spilled the beans on the so called 'Mills Orphanage: Sanctuary For Troubled Youths' was not doing what it was advertising. 'Yeah sanctuary my ass.'

Batman's reaction to this information was not what the younger boy had been expecting. He had been expecting something along the lines of "Yeah right" or "Good imagination kid". Not that Jason really pictured Batman ever saying anything like that but he was sure Batman had a glare to match those words. However that was not the reaction the boy got.

Instead, next thing he knew, he's helping Batman collect enough dirt on the orphanage. The very place Batman was going to send him to.

Batman kept his eyes on the scene below incase any developments happened. Though he knew it was unlikely, but he wanted to make sure 'Mills Orphanage' was really taken care of.

"Guess I should be going then" Jason half said, half whispered. If he was honest with himself, he didn't want this time to end but he wasn't one to plead with Batman to let him stay. The smaller boy reluctantly started to walk away from the side of the building but barely made it two steps before he heard, "Or you could come with me?"

Jason swivelled around but then felt like face palming for looking so excited at the prospect of what Batman had just said. He stuffed his hands into the red hoodie he was wearing trying to hide his embarrassment.

Batman watched him with a careful gaze. Bruce had surprised himself really. He knew he had to do something about the boy in front of him. He couldn't let him go back on to the streets. He had no traceable family to take him in. However Batman hadn't really worked out what to do until he heard Jason starting to leave, but it felt right to Bruce. He couldn't ignore this protective instinct that he had developed for the boy over the weeks they had spent.

"What so you could like… train me to be you sidekick?" Jason queried.

"So you can have a home thats always there for you" Batman answered.

"What? You have a house? I thought bats lived in caves?" Jason quipped, not being able to stop his sarcastic nature from coming out.

Batman slightly smirked, not that Jason saw this. "Only at nighttime."

"Do you want to come?" Jason gave a hesitant nod, not really sure what this offer would entail, but he was willing to at least to see. The least that could happen is that Jason could steal some cool tech or something.

So, with slight hesitation, Jason started to follow the dreaded Bat of Gotham. He just didn't really appreciate at that moment ho much his life was going to change.

* * *

 _(Six Months Later)_

 _"_ _This is Gotham Gossip and new word on the street is that someone else has taken the mantel of Robin. There have been rumours that something may have happened to the old Robin due long period where there were no public appearances of him or photographic evidence. Until this week._

 _Fans where happy to see photographs of the beloved Gotham pair but now speculation had arisen that this may not be the same Robin that we knew before. It's been 2 years since the last photograph was taken of our Boy Wonder but there is some evidence to suggest its a different person. What do you think? Has Robin just grown up or is this a new person all together._

 _What ever it may be we, the Gotham public, are happy to see our Boy Wonder making a splash in local pages with the scandalous reveal that a local orphanage was breading, traning and creating criminals right under local PD noses by corrupting vulnerable orphans by orphanage owner Judy Mills._

 _What do you think about it? Are we really helping Gotham's orphans or does more need to be done? Let us know! In related news Bruce Wayne is holding a charity ball to raise money for a new orphanage..."_

Wally clicked off the TV in disgust, "How the hell does none of the public knows there hasn't been a Robin for two years!" Wally said trying to keep him self from yelling but he was slightly disgusted with the fact that Dick had worked so hard as Robin and no one even noticed he was gone. For such a un-violent guy it did make the red head's blood boil.

"I was wondering why there was never a funeral for Robin" Megan said, Kaldur and Wally where the only two in the room but they both looked up from their positions around the TV and turned to look at her and she blushed a little and went back to stirring of what ever cake she was making.

The team had become more of a family again over the year and had gotten to the point where they could talk about Robin but it was still hard. It was still a wound even though it wasn't open anymore.

Kaldur spoke up but choose his words carefully, "Batman and Robin are know for their stealth. They are rarely ever caught on film so it would be easy for civilians to miss if they were not present in Gotham for a while".

Megan slowly nodded in understanding. "Yeah I mean they do their ninja stuff and 'poof' they're gone. I heard for a while people thought Commissioner Gordon was crazy for a bit telling people he was talking to a man bat." Wally piped into the conversation.

"Whose crazy?" Artemis asked while walking into the room. She was dressed in jeans and a red crop top. It was rare to see her out of costume but after the whole blowout, they had all tried to make it to the mountain as much as they could.

"Just talking about how Batman and Robin are never seen" Wally said and then quickly turned to head to hide his blush. Artemis had noticed he had been acting strange around her but decided not to bring it up. She was trying to be gentler, more understanding and all that crap.

"Hey when we meeting the new boy wonder and isn't their a chick too?" Artemis said why plopping down on the same couch as Wally.

"Whenever Batman decides. Anyone know anything about either of them?" Wally tried to not sound disgruntled but it was hard. It felt like his friend was being replaced.

"Nothing apart from I believe Batgirl has been working in Gotham for a while now" Aqualad said in his soft, deep voice. They all nodded and went back to their activities, but they were all thinking along the same lines. What would this new Robin be like?

None of them held anything against this new kid but it was hard. They had all overheard their other mentors talking about when it was right for this new Robin to at least meet the team but it wasn't that simple. This guy was going to be dressed in exactly the same outfit their lost friend used to wear.

It was a harder pill to sallow then learning about this new Batgirl. She wasn't at all similar to their Robin.

Wally looked at the clock and bolted upright "Crap-gotta-go-got-dinner-now-bye-" He speeded out and then in a blur of movement he was gone.

Within a minute Wally was in front of his house and quietly entering trying to pretend he wasn't cutting it so close. However that dream was blown when the sound of his Aunt Iris's voice sounded through the house, "Wally you have 2 seconds to set up the table before the food is on it".

In a blur of yellow and red Wally quickly sprinted to the kitchen grabbed knives, forks and place mates and laid them out, then went back and grabbed the glasses. He did this all in 2 seconds just as Aunt Iris had promised food would placed.

"Awesome, lasagne my favourite!" Wally said and quickly went served himself only for his hand to be slapped away.

Iris gave Wally a stern look, "Pace your self" Wally nodded but couldn't help but give her the puppy dog eyes. There was food. Wally's weakness.

Barry jogged down the stairs and joined the table and Iris gave him a look giving him the same warning she has just given Wally. Barry's reaction was exactly the same.

Iris rolled her eyes, "Go on then" and then left to get the other dish of lasagne. She had learnt long ago that the two speediest always had more then four positions of food to themselves.

Wally and Barry quickly dished themselves out and helped themselves to the salad that was on the table as well. Between bites Wally said, "Hey Uncle Barry what do you know about the new bats?"

"Well…All I kno…" Barry started but was interrupted, "Boys you better not be talking with your mouths open!" Iris yelled back to them. She heard them mumble back 'okay' but it was obvious their mouths were still full.

Barry took a sip of his water and clear his throat, "Well there's Batgirl who's been working for about a year now however Batman had only just agreed to train her last week". Wally nodded knowing that the girl had some guts to go against the scary Batman for a year. Wally learnt the hard way of the 'no caps' rule in Gotham.

"The new Robin is scary though from what I've seen" Wally choked a little on his food trying to hide his laughter. "He's a 15 year old boy from what I've heard" Wally said cheekily, and Barry just shrugged his shoulders.

"He was living on the streets before Batman noticed him trying to steal the wheel on the Batmobile." Wally this time actually did choke on his food and Barry had to clap his hand his back a couple of times. Iris reappeared with the other lasagne and set it down on the table.

She reached over and took Wally's hand, "You okay love?"

"Yep.. yep fine" Wally said between breathes. Once he had finally settled and was able to breath normally he carried on, "Jesus that kid's brave"

"You're telling me. Apparently he already had one of the wheels off by the time Batman arrived. Now thats something I would have love to see."

Wally laughed at the image forming in his head. Batman trying to put on a tire or having to call up a breakdown company. Or Alfred.

They all continued on with their dinners and spoke about their days, but Wally kept thinking about the new bats on the block. Obviously it would be good to have a bat on the team again but it didn't mean it didn't make Wally nervous about meeting them.

Things were changing and Wally only hoped he was ready for that.

* * *

Jason wasn't all that sure that he liked the Manor. It felt unnecessary. A bit of a piss take to be honest. Why does two people, now three, need so much room? It was weird going from a rats nest of an apartment in the middle of Crime alley to a Manor which was a fifteen minute drive to anywhere. Jason felt like a bull in a china shop and he wasn't really sure if he would ever get use to it.

Bruce was really good. He was teaching Jason how to fight properly and how to protect himself and lets face it, Jason knew he was born to get a little blood on his knuckles. Fighting always gave him some control over his life and Jason knew he was learning from the ultimate badass now.

On the not so fun sides of things, Jason was picking up on his education but he wasn't really excelling at it. But it turns out the reason he sucked at school so much was because he had dyslexia. It was embarrassing when Bruce was trying to teach him and Jason just had to eventual say the words wouldn't stop moving on the page long enough for him to read; but really after he had told Bruce that he had found other ways to teach Jason and after years of failing to learn, the young boy was finally getting somewhere.

Jason wasn't gonna be joining school anytime soon until he was caught up. When when he did rejoin the education system he was not going to a preppy asshole school. He was gonna go to a public school where people could take a punch and keep their mouths shut.

But for now, Bruce and Alfred were teaching him until he caught up to where he was supposed to be. Jason was pretty good at engineering, some of the sciences and languages but maths and any writing type topics he did not get. Jason wanted to build a motor cycle while swearing in other languages if something blew up. Not understand why some stupid guy in a wig wanted to convey why describing the curtains as 'blue' meant something to the storyline.

However whenever Jason did study with Alfred it did mean something good… Cookies. God did I mention Alfred's cooking was amazing! It was so addicting it was like he sprinkled heroin over it.

To be honest, Jason's favourite place in the big and empty house was the kitchen. It smelt amazing, always warm and it felt the closest thing you might find in a family home. Jason would never say it but thats what he really craved… a family.

Yeah Jason was an orphan but really… he had never had a family to be orphaned from. His dad bailed the day of his conception and his mum. Well, when Jason had turned six he was pretty much the parent in their relationship. Not that he really blamed her. Drugs destroyed people but Jason did wonder why it had to destroy his mum. Why did Jason have to end up alone?

Now that Jason had a shot at a family he didn't want to screw it up, but at the same time he didn't want to put all his cards on the table because every time he did that he got screwed over. Every time.

So Jason studied under Bruce as hard as he could and through the progress was slow he was getting somewhere. And he studied under Batman as hard as he could. It had been hard at first because Batman had been so used to having a partner a certain way; A loud mouthed, sky flipping, ninja. Well, Jason was bad mouthed, street fighting, punk. No where near the same fighting techniques and it took Batman longer then it really should have done to figure that out. But he got around to it eventually.

Jason had done a few outings a Robin and it was cool as hell but it felt weird too. Like wearing someones else skin. And when Batman looked at him it was like he was almost seeing a ghost, only for a split second but Jason had caught it enough times to notice. When this happened, Jason couldn't help think about the first Robin, Dick Grayson Bruce's first son.

There were no photos of Dick anywhere in the house and the only ones Jason could find online were of the night of the Death of the Flying Grayson, but its not like he looked that hard. Part of Jason felt like it would have been cool to have an older brother but another part of him was jealous of Grayson. He seemed like the perfect… everything!

I mean, he started with a loving family and was literally born into a career which he was at a world class level at since the age of 4. Then he had a tragic accident but never went after revenge only justice. Was the first kid hero ever and convinced the Batman to let him do that no less. Skipped two grades at school cause of his genius level IQ. Was an uber nerd but was actually cool at the same time. Co-founded his own team and was respected though he was the youngest. Grayson casted a tall shadow for Jason.

Grayson was intimidating even though he was buried six feet under. So much so that Jason couldn't even walk into Grayson's room and learn more about him or even properly look him up online. Jason didn't want to. It would make this feeling of him being second best actually real, and Jason never started something unless he knew he'ld come out on top.

However there were still somethings he wanted to know. He couldn't ask Bruce because… well he wasn't the right guy to go to. This is why Jason was sitting on a bar stool helping Alfred make tonights dinner. The younger boy was currently chopping vegetables and the butler was currently stirring something in a pot over the stove.

"Alfred?"

"Yes Master Jason?" Jason rolled his name at the title but didn't comment, knowing better after the couple of months he had lived here.

"Why are there no pictures of Grayson?"

Alfred stopped his stirring for a second, a bit surprised by the question but not shocked. It was only really a matter of time before the young Master would ask.

"When the young Master died it was a very trying time for Master Bruce. When ever he saw the few pictures we had of the young Master it would remind Master Bruce of what had happened. So to save him the pain and save anymore furniture from being destroyed, I placed all pictures of Master Dick in his bedroom."

Jason nodded and it made sense. It was a bit extreme but it made sense. But Bruce wasn't really the guy to find the middle ground, he only went to extremes.

"You are more then welcomed to go into the Young Master's room and have a look."

"Naw thats okay." Jason mumbled and picked up on his speed on chopping the vegetables. He didn't want to go into a dead mans room. That was weird especially since Jason didn't know the kid. And Jason felt inferior enough by Grayson so somehow going into his room just made it…. hard to do. Like he was gonna find something that confirmed all his fears. A clue showing Jason that he was just here to be a replacement for golden boy. Or like... maybe Grayson was actually in there and he'll leap out and say 'gotta ya sucker this was all a bug fat joke!'

Okay maybe that last one was a stretch, but come on... Dick had set the standard on what the ward of Bruce Wayne should and should not be and it was a pretty high standard and Jason wasn't Grayson. He could never be that type of son. He could never be that sort of person. He could never be that type of Robin.

Jason was startled out of his thoughts when Alfred's hand appeared on his shoulder, "What concerns you Master Jason?"

"Should I be Robin?" Jason blurted out and then immediately felt stupid for sounding like an insecure little girl. He quickly lowered his head and just focused on the vegetables in front of him.

Alfred however took the knife from him. "Why do you ask that Master Jason?"

"Cause Robin was Grayson's thing. I mean he created him and I can't be him even if I really tried, but the fact is I don't want to be Grayson, but I do want to be Robin. But would Grayson even want me to be Robin? Its like I'm stealing something of his. Actually I am and I'm practically stealing his life! I mean theres no trace of him in this house so it feels like I'm just slipping into his shoes he's left behind. But am I stealing from him or is Bruce just trying to replace me with him and and…."

"Master Jason" Alfred said cal my over Jason causing him to stop mid rant. Jason took a deep breathe and refused to acknowledge that his eyes had watered up ever so slightly. Must of been his stupid dust allergies. Even though there wasn't a speck of dust in this kitchen.

The butler gently turned the younger boy around but he refused to look at Alfred. "Master Jason you are correct," Jason heart skipped a beat in fear, "You should be no one else but who you are."

Jason flickered his eyes up to the older Butler's face and only saw kindness there.

"You are not here to replace anyone. Nor are you stealing another persons life. You are here because you needed a home and family. And I think Master Dick would be honoured that you are carrying on the role of Robin."

Jason shifted on his feet uncomfortably, "really?" he said deadpanned and unconvinced.

"Indeed" Alfred replied, "Master Dick wanted to inspire people and provide them with hope and I think if he was still here he would say he would want Robin to continue even without him. There's no higher form of flattery then the preservation and continuation of ones legacy, ideals and hopes. And not only are you helping yourself by becoming Robin, you are helping to bring hope to other children Master Jason."

The midnight haired boy was shocked by Alfred's words and let them settle in his brain so he could understand all of them. Alfred sensing he would not get a reply and that the young Master need to be alone with his thoughts now sent the boy on his way for some down time as Alfred finished dinner.

Later that night when the day was over and all the Masters had gone to bed, Alfred retired to his room, but before he went to sleep he looked at one of his own photos of the young Master Dick. One he kept in his personal room away from others eyes.

The old Butler sent a small pray up to him.

"Young Master please help Master Jason to find comfort in this home and confidence with his place within it."

* * *

 _A.N. Arh please don't hate me! I know you guys thought I was taking the story one way by introducing Jason but sorry I wasn't. I tell you this now so you don't throw potatoes at me:_

 _1) I did bring Jason into this story for a reason! Which will be revealed in later chapters and it will be relevant to Dick._

 _2) I know Dick's having a pretty crappy time right now but I want him to be his **OWN** **saviour**. Not to have someone swoop in last moment and save him. He's got to fight his own demons to progress as a person I feel. Well, in this story anyway._

 _3) I plan to carry on this story on for a while! Its not gonna end soon and didn't I promise this was a Nightwing evolution ;) for me Dick always figures that part of his life out by himself which I like. Its a bit like growing up, deciding what you want from life._

 _Anyway I know this Chapter is a bit of a filler but it needed to be done however if_ ** _we can get up to 131 reviews I promise to post the next chapter before Monday!_** I feel a bit bad for bribing you guys like that but I just love reading your reviews ;) makes me feel like I'm doing okay on my end but _thank you guys for sticking with this story!_

 _Oh and I struggled with Jason's backstory and how he becomes Robin so I wikied it for inspiration and thats how this chapter was born ;)_

 _Again sorry for any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors! I try to be careful but I'm not that great at it. At some point I will reread all my chapters and try and find any mistakes I've made and correct them. _

_Till next time my lovelies_

 _M_


	26. Current Situation

_As promised a new chapter has gone up early since I go so many reviews! Just wanted to say thanks to all of you who reviewed and especially to all those of you who took the extra time to write so much, I love reading all of your comments, rants and support! It was great reading your reviews and I was really touched by what some of you said. Anyway…_

 _Perviously on Things Change:_

 _Jason joins the Bat family and becomes Robin._

 _On with the show!_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 26: Current Situation_**

 _(Eight Months Later)_

Theft had become a specialty of Renegade's. He enjoyed it the most out all of his other jobs. It was a puzzle of how to get in, get out and go unnoticed. And Renegade was good at it.

Part of Dick cringed at what he was doing, but another part of him knew this was one of the better jobs. Theft didn't really seem that harmful in the grand scheme of things.

The job tonight was relatively easy. Break into StarLabs. Get the new form of technology that was going to revolutionise the medical industry. Destroy all research relevant to it. Get out.

The younger boy was crouched on the rooftop next to the target building. He had 1 minute and 45 seconds to get onto the rooftop and down the ventilation shaft before the guard noticed he was there. Luckily the rooftop wasn't a flat one so there was lots of hiding spots if necessary.

Renegade pulled out his grappling gun in preparation for the guard to start his patrol. Once the guard had moved and disappeared from sight, Dick aimed and fired. The grappling hook caught onto the roof and black haired boy attached the handle of the gun to the building he was on and then connected a silver device to the rope and slide down onto the next roof.

He rolled out of his landing but didn't stay down, he quickly sprang to his feet and ran to where the grappling hook had connected to the floor of the roof. This was all done in complete silence. Anyone watching might have thought someone had pressed a mute button but the younger boy was just that good.

Renegade quickly unhooked the gun and pressed a button that retracted the cord to the other rooftop. Not waiting to see if the machine had done its job of retracting itself, Renegade went to the ventilation shaft and stared to unscrew the screws holding the grate in place over it. He did this swiftly and once he was done he propped the grate by the side of the air duct.

The black haired boy slipped down the vertical shaft drop and disappeared inside of the building. The guard never heard or suspected a thing.

Dick let gravity do its job, sending him plummeting down the shaft and counted to four in his head.

'One. . Four.' Once he reached four he pressed his arms and legs against the sides of the shaft in a starfish style. He slowed down and once he finally stopped he was staring directly at the opening he wanted.

His muscles felt the burn of keeping him stationary in a vertical shaft but Dick paid no attention to it. When he was sure his legs would hold him up he let go of the side of the walls with his hands and leaned across towards the hole in the vent. Once his upper body was inside he steadied himself and placed his feet against the wall and push off until he was successfully out of the vertical drop and crawling through the vents.

He made a left then a right and then reached the grate he wanted. He carefully lifted the grate up and peered into the room.

It was a small lab that contained the usual equipment. Metal tables, test tubes, scrap metal, wiring and a lot of computers. He gracefully dropped down into it.

Renegade quickly scanned the room while walking over to one of the computers. He hacked his way in and made sure all the computers were linked up with the same system.

'After this they might think rethink their security a bit more' the apprentice thought to himself. Really it was like StarLabs where begging to be robbed. The boy quickly hacked his way through the flimsy fire wall and located the files he wanted. He reached down to one of his leg compartments and pulled out a flash drive.

The boy really missed his hologlove but his Master hadn't deemed him worthy of such technology yet. So for now he was stuck with the basics. Not that the black haired boy relied on advanced technology to do his job for him, but the basic equipment just took longer and it meant you had to carry more things around.

Renegade plugged the USB into the port and started the download. However curiosity got the better of him and he quickly skimmed the files that were downloading.

It seemed this new technology that the competition wanted so much was some sort of nerve stimulant. Star Labs had found away to create braces that when placed on certain regions of the body could stimulate the cells. This could help this nerve damage, muscle growth and maybe even bone regrowth. Renegade whispered low, it was pretty impressive stuff. Nothing on the current market was like this.

Too bad Star Labs weren't gonna get the credit for it. Dick guessed - but he was pretty that he was correct - that the contract was paid for by a competing business with Star Labs and obviously this new tech was going to put that company out of business. And desperate, greedy and rich people tend to call a mercenary for a soultion.

With the download a little way to go, Renegade set up a worm that would eat all information that was related to this project that was on the system and timed it to go off when the download was complete. With that done, the raven haired boy made his way over to the side of the room.

A very security door lay there and inside were all prototypes that the company had. Dick had done his research and he knew this was the only room that contained prototypes. But instead of going in he went to the keypad and pulled it out of the wall. He played with wires until he got the security feature to shut down.

These prototypes were still in early stages of development, because of this it meant they had to be kept at constant temperature, but Dick had now overridden the security feature of the room that did this. Now he had control over the environment of that controlled environment and Dick dropped the temperature to well below freezing thus making all tech in their, unsalvageable. Plus by doing this is destroyed multiple prototypes thus making it harder to discover what Dick had done.

The boy watched in fascination through the small observing window as everything iced over, however his concentration was pulled away when he felt the air shift behind him.

It wasn't like Dick heard a sound or saw a shadow shift or smelt some bad body odour. He just knew someone was there. Someone else was in the room with him. Most people wouldn't have noticed them. They were good, but Dick wagered he was better.

Without thinking he smoothly slipped one of his throwing knifes out of his one of the holsters on his forearm, spun around and flung it in the air. He heard it make a soft thud into flesh and heard a small sucking in of breathe.

It wasn't a serious injury. Shallow and located just below the shoulder joint. Well so he assumed, he still couldn't quite see the other person yet, but Renegade never missed his target.

"That was a warning shot. I promise you the second will be less kind." Dick calmly threatened. Keeping his eyes on the silhouette in the shadows. There was a moment of silence as the other thief gained their composure and smirked "I never give warnings."

Dick barely had time to breathe when the illusive figure in front of him tore his knife from their shoulder and threw it back at him.

The blade singing threw the air at impossible speed, heading straight for Dick.

* * *

 _(Flashback)_

 _A flash of silver was all the apprentice could comprehend, the only thing he had time for was to lift his hand in defence. That flash of silver imbedded into his hand. Dick didn't cry out but he did cradle his hand into his chest._

 _The throwing knife that the orange and black mercenary had thrown could now be seen sticking out either side of the middle of Dick's hand._

 _"_ _Apprentice you were meant to catch it."_

 _Renegade gritted his teeth, determined to not let the pain of the injury show. "The blade moves to fast"._

 _"_ _Thats because you have to use more then your sight. More then your senses. You have to predict what your enemies intentions and only then you can known where their weapons will be. Once you harness this skill it will save you a lot of pain for later."_

 _Slade strolled across the room and picked up a few dozen knives on the table against the wall. "Ready to try again"._

 _The smaller boy took a deep cleansing breath, relaxed his muscles and then yanked out the smaller blade. Falling into a combative stance he said,"Ready Master"._

* * *

Renegade plucked the knife out of the air and threw it into the wall to his left. It made a soft thudding noise as it warbled where it had been imbedded into the wall.

Without missing a beat Renegade launched himself towards the closet desk to him, using it to launch himself higher; He flipped mid air and aimed to strike his heel down on the already wounded shoulder of his opponent.

He missed by a hairs width. The other figure stumbled backwards only just missing the onslaught the incoming attacks. They were ferocious and precise. Just like he had been taught to fight.

The unknown figure's luck ran out as they hit a corner of a desk that sent them off balance. It wasn't by much but it was enough. Renegade landed a quick and fierce kick to their chest that sent his opponent to the floor.

The figure tried reaching for a small curved dagger on them but Renegade quickly pinned their arms to the their sides by straddling their chest.

Dick could now see who the stranger was. And it was no stranger. She wore a green kimono style dress, had wild black hair and a white and red mask.

Dick was thankful for the mask he was wearing now, otherwise the pinned assassin might have seen the flicker of fear in his eyes once he realised who she was. But he kept his body language calm and unreadable.

Slowly, as if he had all the time in the world the black and orange thief pulled off the mask of the grounded women, "So what's the League of Assassins doing in StarLabs, Cheshire?"

* * *

Cheshire was no ammeter. She had been trained by some of the world's masters but whoever the guy who currently had her pinned was, was good. She had never seen someone move to fast and with such grace. Like it was a deadly dance for them. The assassin knew when to pick her battles and she knew this guy had her beat, she was going to have to play her cards carefully now.

She quickly looked overed her opponent to see if she could get a read off of him. Learn anything that might help her.

First note, the person currently sitting on top of her was made of pure muscle. Not bulky but lean and that made sense since he seemed to move at impossible speeds. So speed and agility were his skills, but he still had strength. He was probably around 5'11 but there was no way to guess his age.

Raven black hair fell in front of his face, but almost all of his face was covered. A mask covered his chin, mouth, cheeks, nose and around his eyes. His eyes were covered with black lenses thus concealing the colour of his eyes. The only thing that was distinguishable about this guy was his forehead… big help that was.

Unlike Cheshire's mask though, you couldn't tell were it ended. It seemed to run down his neck attacking like a gorget, protecting his neck. It was costume made to this guys face and though Cheshire would never say it aloud, there was something intimidating about it.

The rest of his outfit was pretty standard. It was tight, black kevlar the covered all of his body and his hands were covered by fingerless gloves made by the same material. Which was surprising cause Cheshire thought this guy might be worried by finger prints. But on really close inspection she could see scarred skin covering the pads of his fingers. 'Okay this guy was hard core enough to burn off his fingerprints" Cheshire cringed at the idea. It was a god idea but a bit overdramatic for her taste.

This guy screamed professional and he seemed to have all the toys he needed. The kevlar itself seemed impressive and expensive. It seemed strong but flexible and lightweight to allow for movement and speed. That type of kevlar was hard to was hard to come across and even harder to afford. But what really showed what trade this guy was in was his weapons. Or more accurately the sere number of weapons he had.

An array of throwing knives ran up his forearms. Easy to reach and use. A slim strap wrapped tightly, diagonally across his chest. Cheshire recognised that article of equipment was a strap to attach a sword scabbard to your back, but the figure in front of her had no sword like weapon, probably due to the impracticality of it for this mission. This guy had probably used the buildings vents. He also probably was counting on running into someone.

Cheshire was a bit shocked too see even more weapons. A few pouches were located on his hip, probably full of smoke bombs and ever else this guy need. Two long knifes where to strapped securely to the on both shins at the the side, but the most eye catching accessory on his guy was the gun strapped to hip. The was only one reason you carried a gun.

There were a staggering amount of weapons on the person before her and those were only the ones she could see. Everyone kept a few amount of weapons secret if they knew what they were doing.

So from seeing everything this guy was packing, the amazing quality of it all and how everything had been stream lined and positioned on him to be at its most effective and optimal positioning and how well he hid his identity and how well he fought, there was only one conclusion Cheshire could really draw. This guy was a mercenary.

The cat like assassin then noticed something. The orange pipping that ran down his arms, either side of his chest and down his legs. He was wearing the colours black and orange. Only one mercenary wore those colours. The feared and respected Deathstroke the Terminator.

No one would parade in those colours unless they were... 'crap'. It was suddenly very clear who this person before her was. The rumours were true. Deathstroke had finally gotten himself a worthy apprentice. This guy was like a ghost. Efficient, quick, ruthless, never seen and never failed.

The person currently sitting on top of Cheshire was Renegade and the assassin now considered herself royally screwed.

"So what's the League of Assassins doing in StarLabs, Cheshire?"

* * *

Dick allowed no emotion to come into his voice when he asked Cheshire his question. Even though he had felt like he had been slapped with cold water from the face from his past. True not a commonly seen face or one he even liked that much, but it was still one he knew. It was a face from Dick Grayson's past. Robin's.

The women currently below him didn't seem to recognise him though not that Renegade particularly expected it. Right now he was a faceless thief.

The cat themed assassin below him remained silent. Growing impatient the younger boy repeated himself, "What is the League of Assassins doing in StarLabs?" to emphases he meant business he pulled out a dagger from his back sheath and pressed it into the soft skin of her neck. Blood dribbled down.

Cheshire made eye direct eye contact with the thief. An an over-compersating smirk in her eyes, "Little boys shouldn't play with sharp things".

Dick sighed. He really didn't want to do this, but his Master had taught him to be ruthless from the get go. Then no one misunderstood what you were willing to do.

Before Cheshire could do anything about it, the young mercenary had released the pressure on Cheshire's right hand by lifting his knee up, but quickly pulled it out and positioned her hand palm up and at a right angle from the cat's head. Then using the already drawn dagger he slammed it down into her palm, imbedding it into the floor.

Cheshire tried to hold back a scream but was unsuccessful. She tried moving her hand but that only added more blood to the gushing flow. Her body slightly convulsing to get the boy off her but his grip held firm and his weight weighed her down well.

"Try again Cat," he mocked.

Cheshire ignored this and tried to just concentrate on lowering her heart rate to ease the pain. Her concentration was broken though when there were two quick slaps to her face. It didn't hurt but it was a surprise, it did it's job though in drawing Cheshire's attention back to the black clad thief and away from her hand.

"Come on Kitty-Cat stay with me. Or do we need to show your other hand the same treatment?"

Cheshire tried to think of a way out of this situation but with now knowing who this guy was, her hand now bleeding and being unable to move she didn't have many oppositions left.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the knife currently sticking out of her hand was pressed further in, the young mercenary above her encouraging her to speak quickly.

Cheshire quickly weighed up her options but then just thought 'Ah screw it'.

"Screw the league… I'm no longer with them…" She said angrily through gritted teeth.

Renegade replaced his hand lightly over the handle of the knife, "So who are you with?".

The ex-League of Assassins kept her mouth shut. But the silence that followed allowed Dick to hear a tiny, tiny sound. The teenager leaned in closure, Cheshire having no option but to stay put.

Dick quickly figured out what it was. A tiny com unit was in Cheshire's ear. Dick swiftly pulled it out and held it closure to his ear. "Cheshire… Cheshire… come in… God damn it Cheshire this is no time for games!"

Now this voice did stop Dick's heart. He knew that voice. That was the voice from his childhood, someone he used to call a brother of sorts. A boy with red hair, a guarded personality and a frosty disposition. It was Red Arrow. It was Roy.

Luckily Dick was wearing a mask because his facial mask of emotionless apprentice just slipped. He was frozen still and was only reminded of this when a repetitive beeping occurred.

Dick flickered his eyes back over his shoulder to the sound. It was the USB drive signally that the files were uploaded and the worm was now working through the system. Renegade's job was almost done, now it was time to clear an exist route.

Keeping his voice steady he spoke into the com link, "You might want to come and get your little girlfriend. She's a bit pinned down at the moment and a bomb is about to go off."

It was a complete lie. Yes, Jade was a stuck right now but Dick had not planted a bomb, but nothing got someone to act rashly when there was fear and a time limit present.

"You're lying" an accusing voice came back but Dick could hear the voice waver ever so slightly.

"It's your loss then" he answered back.

Renegade discarded the com link and stared down at Cheshire. She was staring intently at him. Dick had nothing to say so he simply rocked his weight to his feet and stood up, but before he moved away he placed his foot on her neck. Not enough to stop her breathing or talking but enough to prove a point. "How'd you get in?" he asked

Cheshire was hesitant to reply until she was reminded of the pressure on her neck, "Top window then staircase."

'So can't go out the way I came in without the risk of bumping into Roy' the dark haired boy thought to himself. Roof would be too risky and Dick really didn't need to be standing face to face with Roy, not that he ever planned to meet anyone from his old life. Dick had had enough nightmares about that and they were vivid enough to deter him from ever experiencing the real thing.

So roof was a bust now, however that didn't mean Dick didn't have a Plan B, C, D or E. He swiftly walked over to the computers and pocketed the USB, but before leaving he entered a line of code into the computer's system that effectively disabled all the cameras in the building. Leaving Cheshire pinned to the floor he left and simple walked into the elevators and down to the second floor. Upon reaching there he went to the nearest window and jumped down onto the street below.

And that was the end of that.

* * *

"Robin you can't just do that!" Batgirl was far too angry to try and keep her temper now. The new Robin and Dark Lady had just left Mount Justice and were entering the batcave.

"Whatever" Jason grumbled and continued on his way to the changing rooms. Barbra quickly reached forward and wrapped her hand around his wrist to try and stop him. However Jason quickly ripped his hand out of her grasp, growling at the same time. Before the older girl could say or do anything more, Robin stormed off into the changing rooms.

Barbra curled her fists in annoyance so tight that her nails were digging into her hand. 'Breathe, count to ten, breathe' she tried to say calmly to herself but it wasn't really working out. The overwhelming urge to slap someone when they were being stupid had been ingrained in her form a young age and it was a hard reaction to not follow through on.

"Problems" a deep voice rumbled. Barbra slowly turned to face the dark knight. She already knew what he had just said was not a question but a statement. Batman wasn't one to beat around the bush and Barbra wasn't hiding her frustrations very well at the moment.

Still in a mood, she let her frustration show the only was she could for now. Sarcasm. "What was your first clue? My bubbly mood or the fact the mission went so well I'm doing cartwheels!"

Batman merely grunted. The dark knight went over to the computer and Barbra followed, knowing the drill and that Batman would want to be debriefed. So without prompting needed, she launched into what had happened.

"We aquatinted ourselves with the team and they accepted us a bit hesitantly but that was to be expected. We received the mission that you sent us about observing the warehouse for any shipments and planting tracking devices on the merchandise so we could find out who the buyers were "

"However while observing, one of the top mob bosses wanted in Steel City turned up. Robin decided to take it upon himself to restrain the criminal and ignore the mission objective. However he was detected. This led to a full on fight and somehow ended up in all the weapons that were being transporting to being blown up, so now we'll never know who the buyers were and what they were intending to use the weapons for."

Batman grunted. He guessed as much. "Did you capture the criminals?"

"Yes, but that not the point!" she blurted out, "The mission was a failure and we were put at risk! Because of your adopted son!" Barbra practically shouted in frustration. She started to pace to release some of the tension in her body. "I mean we can all share blame to some extent but it wouldn't have gone that wrong if Robin didn't try and act like a hero."

Batman raised an eyebrow. "Don't give me that look. I know we all trying to act like heroes but at least the rest of us aren't stupid about it. Robin's lucky enough to come out unscathed and thats only because he had a team behind him! By himself he would not have been so lucky."

Batman remained silent and Barbra knew she wasn't gonna get anything else out of him tonight. "Fine!" She flung her arms up in defeat, "I'm gonna go back home before my dad wonders why Wayne Industries feels the need to keep their newest intern this late at night." With that Barbra went to her own changing room, got out of her black, clad armour into some normal clothes and left.

Batman waited for Robin to come out himself until he head soft thumps and heavy breathing coming from the training room. He headed towards the sound with his black cap billowing behind of him.

The dark crusader reached the gym to discover a red faced Jason still cladded in his Robin outfit. He was dripping wet much like Barbra was due to the heavy rain from the weather today. Jason ignored his state though, focusing on taking his anger out on a punching bag. Fists slammed into the soft bag sending it swaying back and forth slightly.

"Robin."

"Batman" Jason replied in the same monotone voice.

They both stood in silence with only the thumping sounds of flesh meeting material and sand being heard. Neither wanted to start the conversation that was brewing. This was one thing that Batman had yet to adapt very well to with his new son. Dick always filled the silence with continuos ramblings, observations and questions. But Jason was careful with his words and didn't really want to use them. So when he spoke it was because it was important or he was in real emotional distress, but that last one mainly involved yelling.

Bruce remembered the first few months of training Jason to be the new Robin. It had been a learning curve for both of them. Bruce realised quickly he couldn't teach Jason the way he had taught Dick. Dick was already a high end athlete and lived to be in the air. While Jason was a untrained street fighter. He was more similar to Batman's fighting style in some ways. Additionally he was heavier then Dick and therefore was likely to becomestrong rather then agile. Not to mention he would likely be close to Batman's height and size when he was fully grown.

Because of these differences it also meant Robin was going to be different. Not better or worse, just different. So in those first few months of training it was a learning curve for Bruce trying to find a way to increase Jason's strengths and sure up his weaknesses. Teaching in a different way that he had become accustomed to with Dick.

It took a long time for Jason to become comfortable with using a grappling hook and he was struggling on the stealth side of the job. It seemed Jason still had a strong flair for the dramatic and liked to make his presence known. However Jason had proven to be very strong and could take a beating as well as he could give one and he was an excellent marksman. It didn't matter what you put in his hands, what every the object was no matter how peculiar, it always hit its mark.

The main thing that Bruce acknowledge that was different with his sons was the age difference. Dick came to him when he was an eight year old boy and though he had gone through the hellof watching his parents die, Dick still had good memories to look back on. The treasured memories of family meals, conversations, birthdays and everything else and Dick was the type of person who was able to focus on the good things, not the tragedy or devastation like Bruce did.

Jason came to him barely fifteen and had lived a hard life on the streets with no parental protection or guidance. This had made Jason angry and hard. He didn't let his emotions out, instead he left them to brew beneath the surface until they exploded in a rather spectacle fashion.

Jason was an angry, neglected teenage boy that was always opposing authority because thats how he got by for so long. He had never had stability. So the dark knight had done the logical thing, he had adopted Jason to give him the sense of stability and paper proof that he now had a home and people who cared about him.

But Bruce couldn't ignore the sliver of guilt at the back of his mind. That the rushed adoption might have been influenced slightly by Dick's passing. Bruce had never adopted Dick, he remained merely his ward. At the beginning it was because Dick knew who his parents were and he was scared of them being replaced; Of being disloyal to them. But as time grew on the relationship between the father and ward would be easily identified. They were father and son. But Bruce could never quite gain the courage he needed to approach the subject again.

Looking at Jason now, Bruce realised he couldn't be the silent one here, otherwise nothing would ever be resolved and though it didn't look like anything ever got to Jason, Bruce knew the younger boy remembered every word said to him and he always held a grudge.

"Jason, what happened?"

"Batty girl already told you." Jason grunted out between breaths and punches.

"I want your side of things" Batman responded

The teenager landed a rather savage blow on the punching bag, "I screwed up okay! Happy!" he exclaimed. Feeling slightly embarrassed by his outburst he went to beating up the bag again, pounding out all of his frustrations and annoyance.

Bruce pulled down his cowl to reveal his face while swiftly moving and positioning himself behind the punching bag and grabbing a hold of it. Bracing himself, Bruce instructed Jason, "Keep your wrist straight when you punch so you don't hurt yourself."

Jason grunted but took on the advice. For the next few minutes all that could be heard was heavy breathing and the pounding of fists meeting covered sand. That was until Jason threw up his arms and shouted, "Aren't you going to yell at me!"

Bruce kept his face straight and asked, "Do you want me to yell at you?"

"I don't know!" Jason shouted a bit flabbergasted. The boy stalked away and sat on the bench and took a sip of his water. The scene reminded Bruce of a memory of Dick when he was annoyed and feeling humiliated. But the billionaire pushed that thought to the side. He had a son in front of him that needed his help.

Bruce approached the boy and sat next to him but made sure to give him space. "What happened tonight Jason?"

Jason huffed and stared at his shoes, "I'm not Dick Grayson," he mumbled.

The man's expression stayed calm apart from the slight twitching of his lip "Yes."

The smaller boy stood up and started ranting, "When that team first looked at me it was like it was the most painful thing they've ever experienced or that they wanted to punch me. Then they always had to do a double take every time they saw me. Like they were seeing a ghost!"

"For them they probably were Jason." Bruce reasoned.

"I know that!" Jason exclaimed, "But they kept on expecting me to do things and it was just like I was being slapped with how crap I was. Boy Wonder could do this, he could flip like that, he could hack that, he would have done this. I'm competing with someone thats not even here!"

Jason huffed and then once the words settled he slightly flinched. He knew the topic of the previous Robin was a sore spot for Bruce, but it was true what he had said. Everyone just expected him to be a replacement of his previous predecessor and it wasn't fair. He still hadn't figured out a way of getting over that nagging thought. He still couldn't enter Grayson's room to find out more about him. He didn't think he ever could.

"I'm not an acrobat. I can't ace my exams with no revision. I'm more likely to punch a computer if it doesn't work with me and I'm not good at comforting people. I suck as Robin." Jason said the last bit more to himself. He sounded so defeated and Bruce wasn't having any of that.

Bruce walked over to Jason and placed both his hands on his shoulders. "Robin is for you Jason. Its whatever you need it to be. It's not some permeant fixture or role in this society. It's a coping mechanism for you." Bruce put emphasis on the 'for you' part. "As for the team, give them time. They need adjusting just like you do. But you bring your own set of skills to the team."

Bruce gently lifted Jason's gaze off of his shoes and onto Bruce. "Okay Robin?" He asked.

Jason searched Bruce's face not sure what he was looking for but he seemed to find it. "Okay" he half said half whispered.

"Good" Bruce said while straightening up. "Now take a shower and think up any more reasons why your inadequate and when you come back I'll argue each and every one of them."

* * *

The next day Gotham patrol had to be cut short, for Jason had caught a cold and Batman wasn't going to put him out there when he was ill. It seemed Jason being soaked by the rain yesterday and not immediately getting himself warm and into dry clothes didn't do him any good.

But instead of Batman continuing on patrol like he would normally do, he instead stayed home with his son. They both went up to living room in the mansion, full Batman and Robin costume aside from the cowl and domino mask still on.

Jason was curled up with a blanket and a box of tissues. Head resting on Bruce's shoulder and eyes half closed. But he enjoyed the comfort he found in that moment. He felt safe. He felt loved.

Bruce was happy with his decision to call it an early night. Happy to be there for his son and enjoy this rare moment of Jason being open and vulnerable. Seeking physical contact and comfort, his illness pulling down his normally guarded walls.

Bruce was flickering though tv channels until he landed on a movie. Alfred, the ever faithful butler, brought refreshments, medication and popcorn for the pair. And for the first and only time, he allowed the pair to break the rule of no capes in the house. Knowing this was too much of a precise and rare moment to disrupt.

He stood in the doorway a smile rising on his lips as he watched his two charges on the couch.

* * *

 _A.N. Loved writing that last bit ;) such cute daddy!Bats fluff. And I was totally inspired by a comic photo of Bruce and Jason for that last bit._

 _You know I really struggled writing Jason and Bruce at the beginning of this but now I'm really pleased with what I've posted and the relationship they have. I wanted Bruce to learn from his mistakes from Dick and do better with Jason._

 _Before writing Jason I didn't really like him as a character but now I love writing him! However because I'm not that obsessed about him as I am Dick, I do lean a lot on other material about him that I've seen to draw inspiration from. However this story is first and foremost a story about Dick Grayson! But I wanted to spend some time with Jason for a little bit._

 _Anyway hope you enjoyed and thanks for the support!_

 _Till next time_

 _M._


	27. Another Mission

_A.N. I wasn't going to do this chapter originally but I got a lot of comments about all the weird time jumps I do. I wanted the time to pass a bit faster because I find it boring to write about the comings and going of Dick's life on a day to day basis. I want to progress the story a bit quicker since this story spans over a couple of years so I only write about moments that I think are important._

 _My general rule is if I'm bored writing about it, you'll probably be bored reading it_

 _However I got some requests to show a bit more of what Dick's life is like right now so heres this chapter... enjoy._

 _Previously on Things Change:_

 _Dick's fully submerged into the role of Renegade. While on a mission from Slade he encounters Cheshire and Red Arrow._

 _Meanwhile Jason is getting more comfortable in his role as Robin but still has his insecurities and Bruce is being a good dad._

 _On with the show!_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 27: Another Mission_**

Renegade took a deep breath as he stared at the laser field in front of him. It was an open space with statues, glass cabinets and paintings scattered all around it. But what really drew Dick's attention was the dancing lasers that were constantly blocking Dick's way to his target.

If this was a movie, Dick would probably be plunging his ear phones in right now and dancing to a cool song to get across the room. But this was not a movie. It was just his job. So without waiting for a count in the raven haired boy saw a gap in the lasers and moved into it. He leapt, twirled, twisted and flipped his way across the room. At one point he ran up a statue and used it as a vault to spring himself to a chandler and carry him further across the room.

It all ended in a few seconds, with a knee slide to finish carrying him under that final laser that would have trigged a system shut down if he had touched it. To be honest there were easy ways to get to where he needed to go, but this was the funniest and Renegade enjoyed the adrenaline rush while Dick felt trapped and dead inside.

Renegade made his way through the museum, taking in the sights as he strolled to his mark. He reached a large volt door. Once again, if this was a movie this would be the part where the engineer would pull out fancy equipment and listen to the tumblers in the lock of the door to crack the code and get in. However there were simpler ways, especially when dealing with a 24-bolt Diebold vault door; for example bribing the guard for the password.

The masked boy punched in the code for the door and moved back as it opened. As the large door opened Dick saw the laser field in the room also deactivate. He didn't have to worry about cameras for he disabled all the cameras he needed before entering this museum. Putting then on a loop so nothing appear out of the ordinary.

Dick walked over to the compartment that he wanted. The young boy easily picked the lock and pulled out the velvet box that laid inside it. Opening the box Dick picked up the Moussaieff Red, also known as the Red Shield Diamond. He let out a low whistle, it was impressive. A fortune of $20 million for a bit of rock that happened to have a pretty colour and someone deemed it worthy enough.

Just as Dick slipped the gem into a small pouch he had he heard a gun click. "You can hand that over now boy."

Dick glanced up unsurprised by the other person in the room with him, but a bit surprised at who he was staring at.

"What is it with me meeting your family in illegally places huh?" he remarked trying to get under the man's skin. Not that it would be hard to do. SportsMaster was known to be easy to wind up.

The goal hockey masked man ignored the boys comment instead carrying on like he and never spoken."Hand over the stone boy. You don't want me to threaten you."

Renegade scoffed, "I don't think I could even try to be scared of you. Someone who can never got the job done and still can't get past his best years in high school as a hockey goalie. Is that why they call you SportsMaster, because you only ever win meaningless games?"

The older man tightened his hold on the gun but because he was so focused on controlling his anger and keeping the dark haired boy in his line of sight, he didn't really comprehend that he was moving. Dick was circling his way back the door and quickly calculating how this encounter was going to end up.

"Shut up boy," was all SportsMaster could say. Dick rolled his eyes at the unintellectual banter. He was close to the door now, only a hop, skip and a leap away.

"How about this. I'll let you take credit for all of my hard work and you can even take everything else in this room just not the Moussalieff Red." The teenager proposed.

"I'm not here for negotiations boy."

"Can you stop with the boy thing Grandpa?" Dick stated his voice gaining a more cocky sound to it. The other man didn't seem to like his new nickname if the tightening of his lips into a flat line was anything to go by, "See nicknames hurt. Didn't your parents teach you any better?"

"Don't you ever shut up" SportsMaster growled but with the men Dick had been with all his life it was like a puppy trying to growl like a Rottweiler.

"I think you find I do everything for a reason" the young mercenary responded.

To be honest, this was the most Dick had spoken in months. He didn't really like speaking. Now a days he found words hard and they usually got stuck in your throat. Speaking was a why people could evaluated you and a good defence was keeping your silence. Then there was nothing to use against you.

However the so called highly acclaimed SportsMaster was not quick on his feet. A good lackey but not much good for anything else and Dick had been playing in this field for a while now, he knew who to respect and who to fear and the man before him fell into neither if those categories. His daughters were bigger threats then him and look how Renegade's encounter with Cheshire went.

So the easiest way to disarm him. Get under his skin with words. Throw him off balance so Renegade could control the situation.

" I'll enjoy shooting you " SportMaster said through clenched teeth.

Just to wind him up further Dick chuckled at him and said, "You should have taken my deal."

"No, you should have taken mine."

However before the gun could even go off though, Dick had leapt into the air and threw down some smoke bombs to act as a cover. As he twisted in the air, just about to sail through the open vault door, as Dick slide his gun out from his holster and aimed towards one of the downed cameras in the room

Now not many thief's read the security manuals, however Dick was no common thief and he learnt a very interesting thing about the Hermitage Museum security. If someone tried to physically tamper with one for the cameras, it would activate a security measure and lock down that area of the building assuming it was an intruder. So destroying the camera by shooting it would send the vault into emergency shut down.

So as one gunshot was finally fired but hit nothing as the dark haired teen was no longer there, another shot was fired and destroyed the camera residing in the room. As the young boy exited the room a metal gate slammed down from the ceiling to the floor, trapping the so called professional inside.

Dick heard the yell of anger and frustration from the older man and heard him start his temper tantrum but paid no mind to it. Inside he just watched the heavy vault door close, an additional barrier thus sealing SportsMaster inside until the police arrived.

The Hermitage Museum was located in Russia so Dick guessed that the acclaimed Sports Master was most likely going to spending a nice long vacation staring at the walls of a Russian Prison. Most likely insulting inmates and guards since he didn't speak the language as far as Dick knew.

Renegade finally enclosed the expensive gem into one of his compartments on his belt and made his way out of the building. The cold air biting his exposed skin but he didn't really care. He learnt to not care about such things.

* * *

Renegade made his way up the grand steps to an ostentatious styled house. The only real use for the house to show the owner's wealth and so called power. The owner of this house was called Pablo Juan Villarreal, but more commonly known as El Chófer. Not the coolest name out there but at least it was related to what he did. You see Villarreal is a well respected trafficker. No matter what boarder or goods you wanted to transport he could do it. Money, weapons, jewels or people it didn't matter. He was good at his job as it showed from the suits he could wear, the houses he lived in and the women he could buy.

On this occasion Dick was seeing him due to a deal they had. The Moussaieff Red Diamond for information. Renegade had given the crime lord a list of dates that Villarreal had done jobs on. In exchange for the red diamond Villarreal would give the information of the what he was transporting and the locations he was ordered to drop them off at on each of those dates.

Renegade had joined his Master when they first met with the crime lord and struck the deal, but Slade trusted his apprentice to deal with the rest. He had proven he could handle these situations many times.

The teenager wasn't scared meeting the man on this own but it was strange entering the building on a well lit path, in view of the man's guards. Dick had become very accustomed to working in shadows, however this wasn't him on a mission. This was him meeting a client.

Renegade was met at the door by guards and escorted through the door into the lobby. He could see the raised eyebrows of the guards when they saw how unthreatening Renegade appeared, but the teenager wasn't trying to come across as menacing, even though he could easily make these grown men shriek like children who were scared of the monsters underneath their beds.

Dick was stopped in the lobby and he lightly bumped into the older body guard that was in front of him. Neither saw his hands slip something into his belt behind him.

The older guard indicated to the large wooden table that was in the room. "No weapons," he mumbled out in a thick accent.

Dick walked over to it. He leaned down and pulled out the two long knives that wear strapped to his shins and placed them parallel on the table, he unholstered both of the guns he carried and removed both of their clips before placing them down on the table as well. He unfastened the utility bet he wore, on it was a scabbard that held a large hunting knife and three fabric compartments on it: one with smoke bombs, one with technical equipment but the last he opened and removed the porch from it that held the diamond.

Afterwards he unfastened the strap of fabric which held a dozen throwing knives from both arms and added them to the growing collection as well. He loosened the strap that ran across his chest and back and pulled it over his head, taking off his scabbard that held both his duel katana swords.

He turned back around to face the two guards. The younger one's, who was still quite a bit older then Dick, jaw seemed to be touching the floor seeing the amount of weapons laying on the table. It was one thing seeing them on a person. Another entirely to see it all laid across a table like that.

The other guard kept his expression a bit clearer but Dick could see there was a bit of fear in his eyes now. Dick went to walk forward but he was stopped by the appearance of a metal wand to scan him over. Knowing he wouldn't get away with some of his hidden weapons he turned back to the table and removed three additional small knives, one from his boot, one from his sleeve and one concealed discreetly in a hidden flab, on the underside of his inner bicep.

Now the other man's jaw seemed to have joined his campaigns on the floor, but he quickly moved forward to scan Dick over. The young mercenary passed their exam it seemed as he was soon being lead to where their boss was.

Dick assumed Villarreal wanted to make an imposing presence and try and seem like he had the higher ground here. His assumption was proven true when the large man, with piggy eyes tried to seem regal and powerful behind his mahogany desk that seemed to consume the room. Two more additional guards either side of him making him seem important.

But the coal haired boy noticed that the other mans nerves due to him licking his lips and drumming his fingers on the desk, waiting for this meeting with anticipation. Renegade walked to the middle of the room and the two guards following him assumed their positions behind him, mirroring the other two guards.

"Renegade" Villarreal greeted with arms wide as if he was greeting an old friend. This made the teenagers eyes squint in observation. He never acted this way when Slade was here; he acted cold, probably trying to keep a professional and threatening air about him. Renegade didn't like the man's sudden change in character. It didn't matter too much though, it might slightly alter the plan but it wouldn't alter the end results.

"Villarreal" Renegade acknowledged, his tone monotone.

"Now, now, no need to seem so professional my boy. Come sit down. Make yourself comfortable." Okay Renegade was getting a bit sick of people trying to belittle him by call him boy.

"Él es desarmado?" Villarreal asked the guards behind Dick, and the teenager assumed they nodded their heads.

A sicking sweet smile spread across Villarreal face and his eyes gazed slowing up and down Dick's body. If Dick hadn't been through everything he had he might of been afraid of that gaze.

The crime boss turned to one of his men beside him. This one seemed more relaxed and closer to the boss then the others. He was large and bulky and had a thick beard covering most of his face. It seemed he was more of a friend then just a hired gun. "Él es bonito dije de como, no es verdad?" Villarreal commented to him.

"Él es. Un niño muy bonito," the body guard said back.

Villarreal was assuming that the teenager before him knew none of the language he was speaking as he has made no indication of understanding the when he was first here with Slade while they both conversed in Spanish. However Dick was multi-lingal. He had been fluent in Spanish since he was 7. He knew exactly what they were saying.

Villarreal opened up a draw and removed an A4 sized, brown envelope. "This is all the information you wanted" he stated as he placed the envelope on the desk. Dick pulled the diamond out of the pouch that he was holding and showed the gem to the crime lord.

The older man snapped his fingers at the body guard he just spoken to and he moved to collect the gem from Renegade. But while doing so he stepped into Dick's personal space. It would have made most people uncomfortable but Dick showed didn't flinch, lean back or step away.

The bearded man returned to his boss and Villarreal admired the diamond under closer inspection. "Hermosa" he breathed, as if he was hypnotised by the red gem in his hand. "Beautiful" he said a bit louder - repeating what he had said for the younger boy's benefit - as he looked at him. "Beautiful… but not enough."

A gun was pointed at Dick, again. Another thing to add to the list of things that were becoming really annoying to him.

That stupid grin reappeared on Villarreal face. He believed he held all the cards. He slowly stood up, placed the gem on his desk and strolled over to Dick. While he came closer, one of the men behind him moved closer also until the gun was pressed against the side of Dick's head. The threat clear.

Villarreal came in front Dick and ran his hands up Dick's arms sickeningly slow until they rested on top his shoulders. "I think I had to do a bit more work on my side of things," the crime lord breathed out.

Dick remained still and it seemed to annoy the crime boss, his lack of a response. So he slapped the younger bot to try and provoke him. Dick's head rolled to side and it pressed further into the gun that was present there. However the slap didn't have much of an effect on Renegade as he still wore his mask and Villarreal slapped like someone who had never thrown a punch in his life.

Villarreal realised this was not the way to get the reaction from the boy and tried to recomposed himself.

"Don't worry I return you to your Master once I feel I've been equally compensated, niño bonito." He said, is accent sounding thick. He rose his hand again to peal off Renegade's mask when the younger male caught his hand in a crushing grip.

"La codicia hace olvidar con quién está tratando." Dick spoke calmly. Villarreal's piggy eyes widened with surprise at the fluently spoken sentence and Renegade ceased that opportunity.

He head butted Villarreal sending him falling backwards. Crushing his nose with his forehead. The body guard who was holding the gun to his head pulled the trigger but no bullet came flying out. Neither of the guards had noticed Dick had lifted the gun's clip when he came in or the fact that he had put an extra gun clip down on the table in the lobby that didn't fit either of his guns.

The younger boy used this moment of further confusion to launch himself at the younger guard, who was fumbling to get his gun off its safety. Dick had been right with his assumption that he was inexperience and scared. The dark haired boy relieved the young guard of his gun and sent a powerful kick to his chest that sent him tumbling down into the bookshelf behind him.

Dick swung round, gun with safety now off, and fired three shots into the remaining three body guards. They went down without a fight. All of them moving to slow to catch up to how fast Dick was acting and reacting. Whether it was due to their lack of skill or them underestimating the situation Renegade didn't know.

Villarreal was on the floor nursing a bleeding, broken nose. Dick walked up to him and pulled him to his younger boy pushed the crime lord back towards the desk so he could lean against it.

"What boy…" the crime lord spat, his fear making his accent come through thickly, "Can't finish the job. Too much of a coward without your precious Master". Villarreal was desperately grasping at straws to try and regain control of the situation. It was rather pathetic.

The masked boy stood back from him, "Su muerte ya se ha vendido a otro." _(Your death has already been sold to another.)_

The boy turned his head to the side and the crime lord followed his gaze. He hadn't noticed the silhouette of the man standing there before. That silhouetted stepped out of the shadows of the veranda through the open door and into the well lit study.

The figure wore a red and black suit, a white mask covering his face with a single red lens colouring it. Arm raised with a gauntlet styled gun wrapped around it. This man had as many guns as Renegade had knives

"Deadshot" Villarreal whispered.

* * *

 _(Flash back)_

 _The brightly lit streets complimented the lively atmosphere of Mexico City's streets. It was Día de los Fieles Difuntos or more commonly known as All Souls day. The day to honour dead relatives and friends with candles, food and flowers as offerings to remember their passing._

 _The streets were packed, crazy and loud. It was the perfect distraction and the perfect cover. The assassin lay on the roof as he watched his target. The large man drinking his scotch on the rocks as he grinned a toothy, drunken smile at anyone who passed him. The assassin lined up his sniper rifle to get his perfect shot. Not that he needed a perfect shot, he never missed. That was his reputation._

 _As he was about to squeeze the trigger a voice interrupted him, "I'ld prefer you not to do that"._

 _The assassin quickly rolled onto his back, levelling his gauntlet styled gun at the shadow._

 _"_ _And who's here to stop me?"_

 _The figure stepped out of the shadows and the assassin saw a boy with black hair covered in black kevlar with the only sign of colour being the orange pipping running across the outfit. But from the colour scheme and the type of weapons the kid was carrying the assassin knew who he was._

 _"_ _Renegade I presume?"_

 _"_ _Deadshot." he responded back after nodding his head to answer Deadshot's question._

 _"_ _Here to kill me?" Deadshot asked but he knew the answer._

 _"_ _If I was here to kill you, you'd be dead or I'ld at least have a weapon drawn," the boy responded._

 _Deadshot seeing no threat, lowered his arm and stood up, brushing some dust off his red and black suit. "I see Deathstroke taught you his sparkling personality traits," he commented in dry humour._

 _The teenager said nothing in reply._

 _Deadshot and Deathstroke were both mercenaries, both in the same line of work. However Deadshot was the worlds best marksmen and clean assassin, while Deathstroke solved problems for people what ever it may be. Due to their different skill sets it meant they could live with each other. They never crossed paths and they didn't have to rival each other for contracts. It made them acquaintances in their line of work. Not to say either would turn down a contract if it meant they had to kill the other. As long as they were paid they didn't care._

 _Deadshot held respect for the orange and black mercenary and the work he had done. So he knew the boy in front of him, his apprentice, was someone not to be underestimated and from the reputation the boy was building he was not an opponent to take lightly._

 _"_ _And why has the feared Deathstroke sent his little toy solider to speak to me?"_

 _"_ _He has a proposition for you. You have a contract to kill Pablo Juan Villarreal." It wasn't a question._

 _"_ _Yeah," Deadshot confirmed._

 _"_ _Does the contract state when you have to kill him?"_

 _The older mercenary could see where this was going. "No"_

 _"_ _Deathstroke asks that you do not fulfil your contract just yet"_

 _"_ _My time costs money" Deadshot responded, he might consider Deathstroke an 'acquaintance' but that didn't mean he did favours for free. Time was money, and this was Deadshot's living_

 _"_ _You'll be compensated for any annoyance this delay brings." The younger man responded. Just what Deadshot wanted to hear._

* * *

Before Villarreal could speak, bargain or beg one gunshot went off and his body lay limp on the desk, blood spilling across it.

Without blinking an eye Renegade picked up the file and the diamond that lay next to the body. He threw the red diamond to Deadshot, "Payment in full" Renegade said.

Deadshot nodded his head and casually saluted at Renegade, "Nice working with ya kid" and then left the way he came.

The dark haired teen went out of the room as well and recollected all of his weapons. Once outside he contacted Slade. "It's done" was all Dick needed to say.

"Good" Slade's velvet voice came across the comm. "The plane is waiting for you but it'll be taking you to another mission"

Renegade paused by the side of his bike and signed a little. He hadn't slept in nearly 48 hours but he wasn't one to argue with his master. "You'll leave the file you have obtained in the jet with Wintergreen where he'll give you your next assignment".

"Yes, Master" Renegade spoke, slightly cringing at the thought of spending a plane ride with the three piece suit man. He never spoke, only stared.

It didn't take long for Dick to reach the airstrip or to board the plane. No one battered an eyelash at the teenager's strange appearance. The apprentice exchanged the files with the older man and sat down in one of the plush leather seats.

He flipped open the file and grimace when he saw where he was going. He lent his head back and closed his eyes. Repeating his mantra "I'm not here" to keep what was left of Dick Grayson behind that door in his mind. He couldn't let this effect him. He couldn't break the persona of Renegade. There was no way out of being Slade's puppet.

The apprentice decided to sleep on the plane. He would need all the strength he could muster to face being in Gotham. Again.

* * *

 _(Meanwhile in Gotham)_

Jason took a deep breath. 'I can do this. This is nothing.' Jason thought to himself, 'I'm just psyching myself out'.

Without letting himself think about it any further, he grabbed the brass handle and opened the door. The room had more colours streaking across it then his but apart from that it was similar to his own room. Grand windows, a large king size bed, desk with a full mac computer occupying it, a walk in wardrobe and everything else he had.

Unlike Jason's room which he liked keeping grey with the occasion red splash e.g. his duvet cover, this room had blues, reds and whites in it. The desk cluttered with everything a teenager might need. The selves filled with endless books, some in different languages, and trinkets and photography's gained from over the years.

The room was void of dust, evidence that Alfred still came in here and cleaned it but he still kept everything as it was left.

Jason walked around the room and observed everything, but his focus landed and stayed on the huge, framed poster that was up on wall. It showed 5 figures flying through the air in green and gold suits with the words "Flying Grayson's" written across it.

Jason couldn't help but feel the huge emptiness that filled him from being in this room. A sort of melancholy. After a year of build up it all felt rather anti-climatic. Jason thought he would have some sort of great revelation entering the room, but it was just a dead boy's room.

The young boy sat down on the floor and leaned against the side of the bed staring up at the poster. He wasn't quite sure what he expected really. An overwhelming jealousy to bubble over, something to show him that Bruce only really cared about his first son. Proof that the first son was not as perfect as his reputation portrayed him as. Maybe some sort of connection to the lost son that Jason had never met, I mean they were kind of brothers by law.

All Jason saw though, was a boy younger then him with black hair and blue eyes. In some of the photos that small boy was with Bruce or with Barbra Gordon. Hair slicked back from his face and looking like an obnoxious little brat in a penguin suit.

In other photos there was a really small boy who he was sitting on the shoulders of a man with similar black hair as the little boy. Standing next to them a women with blonde hair and clear blue eyes. The small boy had a wide grin, messy hair sticking up at old angles and the chubby cheeks that all toddlers have. Tanned skinned and sparkling blue eyes.

But Jason didn't feel anything for this boy he saw in those photographs or the poster before him. He felt no connection. He had never met Grayson but he spent so long being insecure due to the long shadow his (would-have-been) older brother had cast he felt like he should feel something towards him now. Find something in this ghost's room. But all there was was a photo of a boy he didn't know.

Jason leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling. He suddenly thought of the boy he had met in that cafe what seemed like a lifetime ago. The one who had carried him to hospital and talked to him on rooftops. Jason had tried to find him once he became Robin and had access to the Batcomputer. But there was nothing to go on, he didn't have a picture of him or even a name. He knew nothing about the boy and yet that boy had done so much for him, without knowing it.

He had saved the younger boy's neck twice. He had pointed him in the direction that made him meet Batman and that allowed him to become Robin. He finally had a home - maybe not his dream family but a family nonetheless - because of that stranger.

Jason thought about that boy, with brown eyes and floppy light brown hair hiding part of his face. The boy had sharp features: big eyes and a strong jaw. Jason remembered how that waitress had drooled over him.

Now Jason felt a connection with that boy. If he was gonna have a brother it would be that dude who had protected him and who Jason felt he could look up to and relate to.

Shame that boy he had met couldn't have been Dick Grayson.

Jason stayed in that room for a while... until his mind drifted back to the Batcomputer. Maybe he might find something more meaningful about Grayson on the Batcomputer.

* * *

 ** _Translations:_** _all done on google cause I can only speak English._

 _"_ _Él es desarmado?" -_ _'"Is he weaponless?"_

 _"_ _Él es bonito dije de como, no es verdad?" - "_ _He is pretty like I said is he not?'"_

 _"_ _Él_ _es. Un niño muy bonito" - "_ _He is. A very pretty boy."_

 _"_ _Hermosa" - "_ _Beautiful"_

 _"La codicia hace olvidar con quién está tratando" - "_ _Greed makes you forget who you are dealing with."_

 _A.N. So ta da… The next chapter I am super excited and super nervous for but its gonna kick this story into another gear which I'm happy for._

 _I'm trying to upload a new chapter every Thursday night as some of you may have noticed_ _but won't make any promises, however I might publish the next chapter a bit sooner however we shall we._

 _Sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes, I'm not the best at spotting them._

 _Till next time my lovelies_

 _M_


	28. Skin Deep

_So I always intended to take the story here. So please don't throw potatoes at me…. :(_

 _Previously on Things Change_

 _Jason goes searching to see if he can find anything on Dick Grayson._

 _Dick gets sent a mission that takes him back to Gotham._

 _oh and_ ** _WARNINGS_** _of attempted suicide. Its forewarned in the section its mentioned in later on._

 _Anyways on with the Show!_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 28: Skin Deep_**

The Batmobile pulled into the cave and screeched to a stop. An angry Robin leapt out as soon as he could, "I had to take him down!"

Batman quickly exited the car as well and stopped Jason from leaving by standing in front of him. "You shattered his collar bone!" Batman's baritone voice sung through out the cave.

Jason lent against the side of the Batmobile trying to shrug off the argument. "He's a drug dealing pimp, I didn't think I had to prop up some pillows before I took him out."

"We needed him. He would have talked but you put him into shock" Batman said through clenched teeth. He wasn't angry at Jason per say, he was angry that now the only valuable lead on the case was a stuttering mess who could barely say his own name; but he was a little disappointed with his son.

Jason's body language slumped a little in defeat from Batman's comment. "Sorry. That was dumb." The younger boy knew he had screwed up, but he didn't really regret what he had done to that douchebag, Jason had seen the record of the pimp he had beaten up and it showed he was a far cry from any sort of a good person.

With that thought Jay straightened up and slipped past Bruce, "But he deserved it".

Bruce exhaled loudly. "Jason you can't fight crime by becoming a criminal. You need to control yourself in the field."

A humourless laugh escaped Jason as he continued on walking away from Bruce, with no intention of staying in the same room as the man, but mumbled under his breath, "This coming from the Dark Knight of Gotham."

Bruce decided to ignore that last comment even though he heard it with perfect clarity, "Jason don't walk away. We need to discuss this. You've been becoming more violent and dangerous to everyone. You're too aggressive."

Jason spun around so sick of the lectures, "At least I let things out Bruce! I might blow up sometimes and shatter a few collar bones but at least you know how I'm feeling. Not everyone can pout away in a cave full of bats!"

"Jason we're getting off topic." Batman growled, but Jason came right back with a remark, "I don't care! I mean this is what Robin is for me. A chance to beat up the bad guys! Sorry I can't be like your golden boy and just want to protect the innocent bystanders."

Batman snapped back, "Don't bring Dick into this." There were a few buttons you never pushed for Bruce, and those were: one) the death of his parents, two) insulting Alfred, three) come after or harm any of his sons and four) don't mention Dick. That last one was still very much an open would for Bruce, but Jason wanted to wind Batman up. Wanted to get under his skin, so he just pushed further.

"It's always about boy wonder, but guess what Bruce I'm not Dick fucking Grayson!"

The smaller boy got the reaction he wanted from Bruce. "No one ever asked you to be him. You are the only one with a problem with Richard." Batman practically growled. That was the thing about Batman, you should never be scared when he yells, you should be scared when he growls and you should be running out of the country when he's silent.

"You have a habit of pointing fingers Jason and placing the blame on others. You can never take responsibilities for your own actions. You're wrong, no one could ever met your expectations. You're always waiting for them to slip up, but I've been fighting for you every step of the way."

Jason didn't like how true the words were, he ignored how close to home they hit, so he did the 'logical' thing. He lashed out. "You're wrong! You never wanted me here otherwise why would you still be looking for that bastard!"

Bruce paused, seeming confused for a second. Jay quickly stalked over to the Bat computer and brought up a personal file on the death of Dick Grayson. Except it wasn't about how his death was certain, it was every conspiracy theory and plausible explanation of how they boy wonder could still be alive. Police reports, weather charts, crime scene photos, forensics and every news report surrounding the event all theorising one thing: how Richard Grayson could be alive instead of dead.

Batman was seething. Those files where buried deep in the computer. So deep in fact that Jason should never have found them. They were personal for Bruce

"See! You trying to resurrect a dead son cause the one in front of you isn't good enough." Jason exclaimed throwing his arms in the air in frustration and anger.

"Jason you have no right to be…"

"To be what Bruce! You're pining over your DEAD son because I'm not good enough to replace him!"

"No, its because I failed him!" Batman actually shouted. "He died because I pushed him away and I took too much from him. He died alone. Thinking he had no one and I'm the reason for that!" Batman clenched his fists to try and make sure he didn't lash out.

"But there was no body. If there's no body death isn't certain and if there is even a one percent chance that he's still alive, I owe it to him to find him." Batman sucked a deep breath in after his explanation, bottled emotions slipping to the surface.

A heavy silence descended between the pair and Jason couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. He knew he had pushed Bats too far. He knew Bruce never expected him to be Dick, but god he was so angry he just wanted Batman to feel the same, for some sick twisted self satisfaction. But Jason was still too wound up from his own insecurities and out of control feelings to resolve the situation.

In the strongest voice he could summon, he spoke, "Well guess what Batty, theres no bloody master plan. No evil society or mad man scheming away. No riddle or question needing to be solved. Sometimes bad shit just happens. Dick Grayson fucking died! and he's never coming back."

Jason stormed off, climbed onto his Robin cycle, revved the engine and left. Batman knew he should have followed but he just needed a little time to cool off. They both did.

* * *

A shadow was leaping across the rooftops. Occasionally flipping or adding an extra bit of flair into a leap or jump. The teenager just wanted to feel the wind through his hair. Pushing himself to do more dangerous tumbles or moves. It gave him an adrenaline rush, made him feel alive. For a brief moment anyway.

His master didn't like how much of a daredevil his apprentice had become but he was completing jobs efficiently and without compliant so Deathstroke didn't push the issue as hard as he could. His apprentice allowed some leniency on certain things.

The young Renegade was just coming back from extracting some information from a target. Since the teenager had completed the job so quickly he did have some time to loiter around before making his way back to the haunt which was a few states over. About a three hour drive for Dick. However the dark haired boy didn't want to stay in this city too long. He needed to leave it quickly.

Only one place set his teeth on edge and that was his home city Gotham. Dick hadn't had to come back since the Jonathan Matthews 'assassination'. He hadn't actually been in America that much this last year. He had mostly been in Europe settling jobs for mob bosses, a little time in Japan and also Africa. Where ever his Master needed him, he went without compliant.

He had gained a lot of freedom over he past year and Renegade could now effectively lock everything that made him Dick Grayson behind that door in his mind. He made his mind pretty impenetrable. If he was to describe it as a mind palace he would say it was a castle made of circles: the outer, inner and central. Each layer had more walls and defences then the last and there buried in the middle, locked behind that door was Dick Grayson. The boy who couldn't handle becoming what he had to. The 15 year old version of himself who was quick with the comebacks and had endless optimism, locked away inside of his own mind, for his own protection.

After the midnight haired boy had done that he was an empty shell, but then Renegade persona had started to form.

Slade believed it was a fully fledged, dedicated person and apprentice however Dick knew, really in his heart, that it was only a mask. A frail mask that could be swept away from just being in Gotham for too long. This city that held so many memories, emotions and people he cared about in it that could open the door in his mind and let Dick surface again and let his conscious, that tiny little voice in his head, turn from mute to full volume.

But one thing gave that mask the stability and strength it needed to remain in place and it was Dick's moral to save people. It sounds weird because Dick was a killer now. He had just come back from hurting someone - and 'hurting' isn't even the right word to use to describe what he had just done. However from living, suffering and learning from Slade in the past three years, Dick knew the damage Slade could do was far greater then what his apprentice could ever achieve.

Dick could never stop Slade, he had tried so many times but Slade always did whatever he wanted.

So there was no fighting him. Heather had shown Dick that Slade would kill more people in more horrific ways if he didn't fall under Slade's control. Dick used to be determined not to cross that line, avoid getting blood on his hands. But he ended up with so much more blood on his hands then he ever thought possible.

Renegade had killed people, but that was nothing compared with the number of people Dick had allowed to have been killed due to his stubbiness and arrogance.

The lesser evil was to become Renegade then allowing more people to suffer. The dark haired had tried every other route to make sure he never became what he was now, but really the only way for him to save some lives was to push every teaching, guilt, memory, past experience down and lock it being that door in his mind. Thinking about this now Dick couldn't help but let his mind wander back and when he really solidified this idea.

* * *

 _AN. Flash Back. Please Skip This Flash Back If Your Easily Triggered. Its Basically A Reminder To Why You Should Hate Slade And That He Is Super Evil And Dick Did Try Everything to Escape Him Without Allowing Himself To Hurt Others._

 _It had been 2 weeks since Heather's death. Dick's failed starvation tactic and his submission to becoming Slade's Apprentice._

 _But Dick was in a walking dream, actually more of a walking nightmare. Because ever time he wasn't numb from all the overwhelming emotions crashing down on his system, all he could think about was Heather. The girl with soft brown hair that had been mattered with her own blood. Those hazel eyes, that had small yellow flecks in them, that Dick had only seen full of fear. He could feel her laboured, painful breathing and the snapping of her bones as he broke her neck. He could hear was her voice plaguing his every other thought. "Then you're just as evil as the other man" echoing through his head._

 _Dick believed he was going mad with grief, guilt and shame and he didn't think he could go another minute let alone a day._

 _It was a rare occasion today. Slade was leaving him alone for most of day due to a contract. Little did Dick know that he was being watched by a man in three piece suit who was a life long friend of Slade's. But the small boy didn't know that. He thought he was all alone, locked in the building with no where to go._

 _He was in the training room, left to do his usually training regimes. A handful of throwing knifes had been left out for practice but nothing more lethal was left in the room. Dick walked over to table and picked up one of the sharp blades. He twirled it in his hand for a minute, letting his mind clear. 'yeah… I'm happy with this decision…' he thought._

 _He pressed the knife's edge to his wrist and then drew down towards his elbow. The pain was sharp and instant but Dick found it meditating. Justified. He repeated the motion on his other arm._

 _Then Dick went back to his training, running, fighting and anything else that made his blood pump round. He didn't have the luxury of bleeding out in a bath and Dick wanted to make sure he never came back._

 _He pushed past the dizziness and the pain growing in his arms. Continued to move his weakening and heavy muscles until he finally collapsed and could no longer hold his head up. Letting the blackness great him. For the last time._

 _But it wasn't the last time._

 _Dick was welcomed back to the land of the living with that evil white light. His eyes blinked away tears; due to the brightness of the light or because of the overwhelming emotion crashing down on him he didn't know._

 _He was strapped to a metal chair. Ankles secured to each leg, wrists attached to the arms, chest restrained to the back and neck secured as well. All with leather straps. Dick glanced down not being able to move his head much and saw his arms bandaged tightly with white cloth._

 _"No," Dick whispered to himself. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. This was meant to be his punishment. His escape. He had long given up any idea of walking through that red door that had teased him since his arrival._

 _Soon a voice, slick and smooth, sent wave of terror down Dick's skin. "Apprentice, I'm very disappointed in you."_

 _Slade moved into Dick's line of version and slowly approached the boy. When he was right in front of Dick he placed both hands on the arm rests, his face inches away from Dick's._

 _The boy didn't move. Didn't talk. Didn't breath. He had failed and that meant punishment, Dick had no clue what that might entail but Slade now knew how to motivate Dick after Heather._

 _Slade searched his apprentice's face and then sighed after a moment. "I thought we had made real progress Apprentice, but it seems I need to sway you from such foolish ideas."_

 _The mercenary finally left Dick's personal space and moved to the side, still in Dick's vision though. Slade held up his computer gauntlet and activated a huge screen directly in front of Dick. It displayed several camera viewpoints of a mall. Under further inspection Dick could see it was the Keystone City Mall. Dick had actually been there once._

 _People were wandering in and out of stalls, all ages and types of people. All looking happy. But Dick felt frozen because Slade showing this could mean nothing good._

 _Dick tried to shift in his chair but all he did was irritate his skin due to the tightness of the straps around his limbs._

 _"As punishment for your disloyalty Apprentice, I think I will kill a significant number of people in this building today."_

 _"What?" Dick finally spoke, fear creeping into his voice. His eyes widening as he studied the video feed before him. Watching all these innocent people in front of him._

 _"I've placed a bomb in the centre of the building." Forever one for the dramatics, Slade pulled out a device that had a red shiny button on top and Dick knew this wasn't a ploy, it was real and he would push it._

 _"No please Master, please. I'm sorry I promise I won't do anything like this again."_

 _Slade looked at the boy struggling before him as he begged for forgiveness. "I don't know Apprentice. How can I be sure your word is true?"_

 _"I'll do anything you want" the boy pleaded._

 _Deathstroke assumed his position in front of the oxen haired boy again, blocking the view of the screens, "Then swear to me Apprentice. In your own words that you will never betray, leave or argue with me. You will be the loyal Apprentice Renegade."_

 _Dick sucked in a deep breath, but he didn't need to really think this choice through. He looked into that cold metal eye, "_ _I will never betray you and I will follow every order you give me._ _I promise I will always be loyal to my Master. My life and death belongs to you."_

 _The words felt like acid, but Dick put away his pride, he begged and promised his life away in the hopes of saving others._

 _Slade observed the broken boy before him and after a moment of nervous waiting he finally nodded his head. "I accept your pledge of loyalty Renegade."_

 _He moved to the side and headed to the door just next the computer screens. Dick's eyes followed him every step. But before Slade left he turned around and spoke, "But to make sure you stay true to your words…" and before Dick could let the words sink in the video feed of the mall erupted in a spectacle of orange, yellows and red flames. Grey smoke blocking some of the video feeds. Camera's outside of the mall capturing people running and screaming away from the building complex._

 _"No!" Dick yelled. Thrashing into his chair not caring that the leather restraint around his neck was digging in and drawing blood. Dick watched the chaos on the screen and knew it was all because of him. Because he had tried to take his own life. Tears streamed down his face as he watched the chaos unfold._

 _"If you try what you did again Richard, I will make this look merciful."_

 _With that Slade left. After an hour Deathstroke finally switched off the computers showing the horror of the explosion back to the usual black screens._

 _A day later Slade finally came back and Dick… He had started to build those mental walls in his head. He had started to stuff everything that made Dick him behind a door. Because that was the only way he was going to survive this. By becoming Renegade with the purpose of saving as many people as he could, cause now he knew he could never be able to save them all._

 _The cost of failure was now far too steep to risk rebellion. Dick Grayson wasn't dead as Slade liked to believe, he was just safely tucked away, believing he could do nothing to change his situation or avoid who he was turning into._

 _And after that day, Dick knew there was no escape from Slade._

* * *

However what Dick never had considered happening, was that a boy with similar black hair, green eyes and a red shirt would somehow creep beneath his skin. That younger boy had slipped past his mental defences and had toed the door open, just a little, to where Dick Grayson lay.

That door to all his feelings, guilt, consciousness was cracked open. Just a sliver, but it was enough for Dick not following every order Slade gave.

Renegade hadn't assassinated Jonathan Matthews like he was told to do. He had placed the bullet two inches higher then he was supposed to and that gave the politician a fighting chance to live. Dick had sent an email warning the police that if he wasn't declared dead and stayed that way he and his family would be targeted. And by some miracle Slade never found out. It was a small act but they continued, just small tiny acts like that. E.g. Not killing Cheshire like Slade had taught him to do. Not even touching SportsMaster, but instead leaving him trapped in the vault. Letting the some of those bodyguards that worked for Villarreal live. Not all of the shots he had fired that night were lethal.

It didn't make up for all the evils Dick had done in Renegade's name, he didn't give himself a little pat on the back or do a happy dance cause 'yay I only maimed a person today'. But it just showed Dick wasn't as lost as the dark haired boy had believed.

Jason, the boy Dick had met and sent on his way to Batman, had opened that door in his mind just slightly. However it would take something big to bust it wide open. To cause a rebellion like that would take something devastating and drastic for the Renegade persona to fall away so all that was left was Richard. A spark of deep emotion to awaken Dick Grayson.

The midnight haired boy had kept track Jason since they had met. He knew that younger boy had been adopted by Bruce and had taken up the Robin mantle. It hurt slightly, the thought that he was being replaced but the majority of Dick was happy. Happy that the boy had a better life and that Bruce, the man who had given him everything, was happy as well now.

Renegade's wandering mind and concentration from jumping rooftops was broken when a bright light suddenly exploded to his left. The apprentice swivelled round and saw a huge explosion of fire and debris. Dick knew that sound and look of that flame. A bomb had just gone off. He knew he probably shouldn't stick around but there was some sort of sinking feeling in his stomach. A feeling of dread creeping along his skin that made his feet move towards the explosion.

Soon he was flying across the rooftops in Gotham as such a high speed he looked like a blur.

When he arrived at the site he was struck with the memories of the footage of the mall, but he tried pushing them aside so he could figure out what had happened here.

Renegade didn't see any one around so he leapt down to the ground and walked towards the destroyed building. There wasn't much left of the building but Dick's eyes caught onto a bloody crow bar on the ground. He didn't pick it up but with the pattens of blood on it he was pretty sure he knew what it had been used for. The teenager looked around until his eyes landed on a door. He decided to flip it over.

On the other side, in green, messy writing was the message. " _Are Robin's fire proof?_ "

Dick stomach dropped. He stumbled backwards not wanting to think about what that meant but... he had to know. And really that message could only mean one thing. Dick had to know what happened here to Robin. To Jason. To that little kid he met in a coffee shop.

Thinking about where would be a good place to start, Dick went towards the police department. It was a good thing he was in his full Renegade kit for it gave him the stealth and movability he needed. Once he was close enough, he used the ledges on the side of the building to climb up until he was outside of the Commissioners office's window, glad and scared that Batman seemed to be nowhere in sight.

He peered through the window and saw that the Commissioner was on the phone. Thanking the heavens that he now had a hollow computer Dick quickly hacked the signal and sent the phones connection through his head set so he could listen in.

 _"How bad was he Leslie?"_ The commissioner asked.

 _"It wasn't peaceful Commissioner. He was half beaten to death with a blunt instrument but the explosion…. Batman brought him in and called me to see if there was any lurking hope but …. I think he knew he was just being desperate."_

 _"Crap… crap…so it true?"_ Commissioner _asked the doctor._

Her voice sounding sad and tired, Leslie didn't like her commanding self, _"Yes…its true..."_ her voice broke, _"Robin's dead."_

Dick's heart stopped, his breathing froze, he almost slipped from hid perch.

A moment of silence fell, until Gordon spoke again. " _Why are you telling me this Leslie? I'm glad to be in the loop but you've never contacted me before. I knew you worked with Batman but we've never talked about it."_

 _"Because Batman just lost Robin and Joker's out there. From what I saw of him its looks like this night's far from over."_

 _"Care to be less cryptic?"_

 _"Look just try and keep the streets clear and keep your men away from Joker. Away from Batman. I'm praying to Gods he wont do something stupid, but… you didn't see that look in his eyes. If there ever was a night for Batman to be spilling blood… it would be tonight."_

Dick had heard enough. He moved from his spot and onto the roof; Cutting out the connection from the phone conversation but making sure he was still on the police band wave.

He leapt across the rooftops until he was a few buildings away. He sucked the cold air into his lungs and then hunched over, hands on knees head between legs. He was shaking and tears started to leek from his eyes. Dick, not caring at the moment, ripped his mask off that covered his eyes and lower face and let it fall to the ground.

A million and one thoughts running through his head. Robin was dead, but more importantly Jason was dead. The boy that had somehow without realising it made Dick wake a little. That boy who was brave enough to go car jacking from the freakin Batmobile, who protected his neighbours and who was stupid or determined enough to steal from mob members. A boy who was brave and caring and didn't like bullies.

Dick sat on the floor and let all his thoughts, feelings and everything else swirl around in his head like a whirlpool. Memories of that boy, the brief news he had heard of him being Robin when Dick had the opportunity to find them, the announcement of his adoption to Bruce Wayne.

But now he was gone… because of a fucking clown in a purple suit.

Then a thought became very clear in Dick's mind. Batman would be after him. Batman would be hunting the Joker right now. Bruce would never let anything like this go unpunished, he had just lost a son… again. But how far would he go?

Dick didn't know. He didn't even know what Bruce was like after his supposed 'death'. All he did know was that he sure as hell wasn't going to let Batman become a killer. Not like him.

So the black haired boy snatched up his mask and placed it back on his face and set out across the city, determined to find either Batman or Joker, which ever he crossed paths with first.

* * *

Renegade was perched on a rooftop listening into the police band radio, waiting. The city was too big to search by himself and there were too many places to hide. So he had to wait and hope.

Luckily his patience paid off.

A scratchy voice came over the police radio, "Siting of Joker near Warehouse district B. Commands needed over."

Soon the voice of Gordon came on, "Do not engage. I repeat do not engage. All police are ordered to stay clear from area."

Dick disconnected his headset from the link, he had all the information he needed. Luckily the area Joker was in was pretty deserted at this time of night so civilians wouldn't be a problem, but what was his next step? His first instinct was to burst in and stop what ever madness was occurring but that quickly got blown out of the water when common sense was applied to that plan.

Dick was dressed as a mercenary, with an array of knives, guns and two katana swords on his back not to mention he supporting colours of Deathstroke. Batman would immediately take him out and if he was in the rage Dick knew he would be taken out in an instant. The dark haired teenager was a really good fighter. Definitely someone to be feared but he wasn't Batman's level. Or Slade's for that matter. Not without a significant advantage and Dick was not prepared to use a gun on his former mentor.

Another option was that Dick could strip his mask, loss all of his weapons and maybe he could shock Bruce enough to stop him. But would Bruce even recognise him after three years? It wasn't a lot of time but it was a lifetime for Dick. He had changed a lot. Bruce may even think he was a hallucination. Grief and anger were powerful things.

Trying to think what he could do, Dick suddenly saw what street he was on. He was two blocks away from a certain burglar. Maybe the only person that could stop or persuade Batman from doing something he'ld never forgive himself for.

Dick ran into an alley, leapt onto a garbage bin and sprang to a fire escape ladder. He quickly ascended then started gliding across the roof tops until he was on the right building. He skilfully scaled down the wall until he was at the right window. He briefly considered just doing the civil thing and knock on her door but time wasn't really with him. If he had heard that police transmission then Batman definitely had and he was either there or about to be.

So rather ungraceful he smashed the window with the butt of his gun and climbed into the apartment. He was currently standing in her bedroom but she was not there. Quickly moving to the kitchen Dick found the dark haired and burning eyes women he was looking for. Who was currently holding a butchers knife. 'Little cliche' Dick thought to himself.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"I need your help…" Dick stated.

The unmasked Catwomen cocked her hip, her hair swinging with the movement slightly, "Honey, you don't break into my apartment then ask for my help." Selina's dark eyes looked slightly down, "Especially not with a gun" she added icily.

"Fine" the dark haired boy replied. He unholstered his gun and held it up in the air. He popped out the clip to show her it was full, clicked it back into place and tossed it towards her. She caught it gracefully with her other hand. "Now you have a gun to my head" he said.

"Then you can leave quickly." Selina threatened, aiming the gun at his head.

"Not till I've said what I've had to."

Selina tilted her head, her eyes unsubtly studying him up and down. After a second they widened with recognition, "And why should I listen to a mercenary who follows Slade." Dick was slightly surprised she had heard of him. As if she was able to read his mind she said "Yes, I know who you are. I wouldn't be good at my job if I didn't know who's a threat or who's not. Now why should I listen to a mercenary?" she asked again.

"Cause I'm not here for me and I'm not here for Deathstroke."

Selina eye's seemed to be calculating, but she slowly nodded her head telling him to continue speaking. "Did you hear about the explosion?" Dick asked.

"I saw it" she replied.

"Robin died in it"

"Crap" Selina lowered her gun, seemly shocked by the news. She looked at Renegade again, "And?" she asked.

"Joker's in Warehouse District B, I need you to stop Batman from killing him" Dick said deadpan, not letting his emotions getting the better of him.

"From the sounds of things Joker deserves everything thats coming for him." Selina spat, venom lacing her words.

"But Batman doesn't." Dick stated. "If he goes through with it, it'll kill him… and you know that."

Selina moved forward and lent her hands against her kitchen table, looking like to was dissecting the person in front of her. "And why do you care? What do you get out of it."

"Nothing."

With that Dick left the way he came, knowing there was no way to convince the burglar any further or extracting a deal out of her. Selina didn't like to deal with people like him and if the news of what had happened to Robin didn't motivate her into action then nothing would.

Dick only travelled to the building opposite, waiting to see if Selina would do it. He wasn't disappointed. A few minutes later he saw Selina slip out in all her Catwomen glory and swiftly move to where he told her to go.

He followed but left a safe distance behind her, wanting to make sure she didn't notice him. They soon arrived at the warehouse where Joker was and that was confirmed when they heard creepy laughter and something breaking.

Catwomen slipped in through a window, and Dick positioned himself outside one of the top windows. He couldn't hear anything particularly well but he could see the whole space inside. He could see the three figures there and if Selina failed, Dick would have no choice but to step in.

"God I hope Batman doesn't kill me tonight."

* * *

Selina slipped into the warehouse and it was just in time. Joker had his ridiculous laugh continuously echoing in the empty warehouse. He seemed to have something wrapped around his torso pinning his arms to his side. A thin wire of sorts. One of his eyes was swollen shut and blood was dribbling down his lip but it all just added to the psychotic clown look. The only thing holding him up was a fist clenching around his collar keeping him in place as the other hand rained down on Joker again and again and again.

"BATMAN STOP!" Selina yelled. Batman stopped his assault but he didn't face Catwomen, he only shifted his head so Selina was now in his peripheral vision.

A gravelly voice rumbled out, "Leave". It sent shivers down Selina's spine and elected a giggling fit from Joker.

"I'm not leaving till I know you what you're doing."

"I'm doing what need's to be done." Batman responded, his full focus was now back on the clown currently bleeding in front of him.

Selina didn't dare approach, not wanting to spur him to do something so she continued talking. "You can't do it Batman."

"We've all thought about it." Batman spoke with a clenched jaw, his eyes burning into Joker's chalk white face, "Hundreds... he has killed hundreds, millions he has terrorised and tonight… tonight he's just beaten a boy, a son, so he was unrecognisable and then left him locked in a room and blew it up. That sort of evil can't go unpunished."

Batman dragged Joker closer to his face, "He deserves to be subjected to every torture he's dealt out. His rain of terror ends… tonight."

A sickening sweet smile came across the purple clown's face, "Oh Batman… kinky."

The dark Knight threw him to the floor and sent a crushing kick to Joker's chest, resulting in the beaten man to cough up blood but the ever present smile stayed in place. Victory gleaming in his eyes.

"Batman stop! Robin wouldn't want this! You'll change into the man they never wanted. Someone he wouldn't recognise."

Finally Batman turned and fully faced Selina and for the first time ever since she had known him, she took a step back due to the fury, rage and anger radiating off of him. But she quickly covered her fear with her arrogant domineer springing up in defence. She squared up to her opponent.

"Don't you dare mention Robin Catwomen" Batman practically hissed out. Selina threw her hands up in the air, "Thats why you're doing this! Joker's been a lunatic for years but he finally succeeded in killing a Robin tonight… thats what's pushed you over the edge, so this is everything to do with Robin!"

"Catwomen. Leave. Now" Batman's baritone voice seemed to be ricocheting off the walls.

"I'm not going to let you become the monster you fight against. You do this and he wins! Everything you've worked for will be gone in a single night. A single bad day."

"A single bad day…" Batman growled out, "I've had more then my fair share of bad days."

Selina walked forward cautiously approaching the wounded, dangerous animal Batman was right now. But she still left a gap between them. "Yes, you have but those days defined you into the man you are now, don't let this day define you into something you'll hate. You'll be disgusted with yourself!"

Batman casted his eyes down and Selina had hoped she had gotten through to him, but when his dark, blue eyes met hers again, those eyes reminding her of thunderclouds, her heart clenched just a little. "I don't care. Joker dies tonight."

Joker, still tied up on the floor, let out a little giggle "This is turning out better then I had hoped"

"SHUT UP JOKER!" Both Batman and Catwomen yelled.

Selina using this slight distraction ran and somersaulted over Batman's head so she was in-between Joker and Batman. "You can't do this."

"You would do this if you've lost what I had. For a second time." Batman whispered this but the underlining threatening tone he had used for the whole exchange was still there.

Selina didn't flinch from his eye contact, "Yes I would. I'd smash his deranged brains in without guilt or remorse," she said with brutal honestly "but, I don't have a conscious like you do. You do this and where do you stop? You won't be protecting Gotham anymore you'll be the one terrorising it."

Batman eyes looked down into Joker and a fury blazed in them, "I lost one son because of the actions and results his bullet caused and now I've lost another son because he succeeded in killing him himself this time. That monster used Robin's vulnerability as bait and destroyed him." Bruce's eyes locked back with Selina's, "I won't let that happen again. I let him go too many times and I've paid the price for that. Never again."

Batman swept closer but Selina blocked his path, knowing full well she may be punched because of her action but luckily for her he stopped moving forward. Instead casting his bat glare onto her, "Move out of my way." He demanded.

Selina had to think quick here. She knew this was her last chance to get through to him. So she spoke the first words that landed on her tongue, "What does Robin represent?" She asked. Batman's face remained deadpanned but Selina didn't fail to notice the clenching of his fists.

"He represents hope and trustworthy figure. But he's so much more. Batman makes bad men fear and think twice. You can kill this clown tonight and maybe that will save lives. You'll hold the ultimate power over Gotham because everyone will know how far you'll be willing to go. But everyone will fear you. You won't provide comfort to the city. You'll just be the nightmare everyone cowers from. You'll become the thing you destroyed and then who's won."

"Robin kept you from doing that. He provided the light to your darkness, that hope to your fear. But he's not here any longer…." Selina stopped for a moment her eyes slightly watering up, but she never broke eye contact, "and I'm so sorry for that…. but you have to carry that hope now. Don't become a monster. Be a Robin for once."

Batman didn't move at all. A thick silence descending. Joker waiting with eager eyes. Selina didn't doubt if he could, the clown would be eating popcorn right now. But when Batman still didn't respond the thief, very gingerly, placed a light hand on Batman's upper arm, "Go home. Grieve and recollect. Let me deal with Joker for tonight."

Selina really thought Batman would just shove her aside and then she knew she could do nothing more. She may be able to outrun Batman but she couldn't stand up in a fight with him.

Everyone seemed to be holding their breath. But the moment finally ended when Batman turned and started to walk away.

Joker's eyes widened, "Batman… where are you going! No… come on… you said you should destroy me… Batty… you can't leave…. I'm the one who fried your little pet bird."

But with all his jibs, insults and anything Joker could spur out, Batman just kept on walking. Selina turned round and sent a heel to Joker's head which cracked against a stone behind him finally sending him into silence. She pulled out her phone to call the police so they could collect their psycho.

But Batman kept on walking. He walked out into the cold night air and then to his trustily Batmobile. He drove home and didn't look back until he reached his sanctuary. Only then did he break down. In the darkness and seclusion of the Batcave, the place he always hide himself away in.

Joker was collected later on and Selina went home but didn't sleep that night, the events of the night reeling through her mind in speeded up motion. Forgetting, for tonight, of an assassin that had warned her of the danger.

No one noticed the black cladded figure against the side of the building. No one noticed the ever watchful gaze observing everything. From the conformation to Batman leaving. The police approaching then reseeding. An unconscious clown dragged back to the asylum. The now tired thief taking herself home.

No one saw the figure straighten up once everyone had left. Him disembark across town until he came to a black motorcycle. He fired up the engine and set his way back to Deathstroke's safe house.

But if anyone had see him. If they had been able to seen past those masked eyes and peer into the deep blue… they would no longer see the cold calculating stare of Renegade. They'ld see a fire, passion and consciousness that belonged, and only belonged to a Richard Dick Grayson.

Turns out Gotham did what he feared. It had slammed that locked door of Richard Grayson wide open and he couldn't let himself be controlled anymore.

Well…. maybe it wasn't Gotham. Maybe it was the death of the boy with midnight hair, green eyes who wore a red shirt. The boy who reminded Dick, who he really was.


	29. Gunshot

_A.N. THANKS for all of your reviews. Loved reading them and glad I got such a big reaction from all of you. Love reading what you guys think and how you guys react, partially with that last chapter since it was a pretty big moment for the story. so..._

 _Previously on Things Change:_

 _We learn a little more about Dick's time with Slade._

 _Batman and Robin have a huge argument that leads to Jason storming out of the Batcave._

 _While on mission in Gotham, Dick learns of Jason's death and gets Catwomen to stop Batman from killing Joker._

 _After the events of that night, Dick Grayson knows he can no longer be Slade's little Renegade._

 _On with the show!_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 29: Gunshot_**

After a long drive Richard finally pulled up into the garage of the safe house his master was at. His current base of operations. Dick killed the engine and the gentle purr of the motorbike went silent. He pulled off his helmet and hung it off the handle of the bike, shaking his hair lose while doing so.

His muscles were screaming from the hours of long driving from Gotham but his mind was surprisingly clear. For now Dick's mind was singular in focus. He didn't have the time to process everything that had just happened. What he had heard, what he had seen and what he had felt. He had to push that all to the side for now so he could concentrate.

Firstly focusing on the issue of stopping Batman from becoming like him. And now, his mind was focus on facing Slade. The blue eyed teen didn't know what was going to happen when he faced his Master, he just knew he was done living his life like this.

Dick had thought he had helped Jason but instead sent him to a painful death and an early grave. Now it could be argued it wasn't Dick's fault but the teen didn't see it like that. Dick couldn't help but think he might as well had locked Jason in that building and blown it up himself; I mean, wasn't he the reason Jason had been able to become Robin and got onto Joker's radar in the first place?

Maybe it wasn't Dick's fault. Maybe Jason died with no regrets. But maybe Dick should have never pushed Jason towards the Batmobile that night. Maybe he should have never intervened where he no longer belonged. Or maybe he should have found a way out from under Slade and been a real brother to Jason. Maybe, maybe, maybe. What a horrible word. But those maybe's where something that was going to haunt Dick's for some time.

But right now… that was what Dick could control. And learning how that brave and idiotic boy, who Dick felt a brotherly protectiveness over, had died today showed Dick he couldn't pretend he had done some good while he lived as Renegade. Woopie he had killed less then Slade had… did that really mean he had saved anybody? Dick had thought he had saved and helped Jason but he was dead now.

Suddenly the risk of failure vs reward that defying and rebelling against Slade didn't seem as important as it once Slade had made Dick believe. There was no reward, there was only death on both sides.

Dick knew he was far from saving, but maybe he could stop his nightmare tonight. He swung his leg over the bike and started to walk to the missions room where he knew Slade would be.

He walked into the dimly lit room were the mercenary stood tall and proud. Dick's master didn't turn around but still knew his apprentice was there. The mercenary was staring at an array of monitors and computer screens. A wide metal table separating them.

"You're late" he remarked, "But I'll assume you got all the information needed Apprentice."

Dick stared at the back of the mercenary's head. His white hair seeming to shine due to the light of the computer screens surrounding him. "Yes," was all Dick was replied, his voice monotone, not betraying him and showing the rising anger within him.

"What have you found out then Apprentice" Slade said still not looking at him but still expecting a report from Renegade.

Dick peeled off the mask that covered half of his face, and he threw it on the table between them. Slade haven heard the sound of the mask hitting the table turned around and saw his apprentice's eyes. And he recognised the anger within them and something else. Something he had thought he had long since beaten out of the boy. Those blue eyes where shining with rebellion.

Suddenly, the dark haired boy struck out his leg, making contact with the table and sent it striking towards the older mercenary. Ever quick with his reflects though he used one hand and placed it on the table and used it to spring over the table. Dick flipped over the leg that was now coming his way and turned to face the taller man, bring his arms up to block a punch.

Dick twisted round and when there was an opening in Slade's defences he stuck out and punched him between the 4th and 5th rib. Slade backed off to cover himself. Several more punches and kicks where exchanged until Dick was backed against the wall. Using the wall the younger boy braced his back against it and, for the brief moment when gravity didn't work against him, he lunged out with both legs. A powerful blow pushing Slade away from him.

The smaller boy landed lightly on his feet and drew a large knife that was sheathed on his lower back while rolling forward closer toward Deathstroke. Dick slashed across the air and missed Slade's shins by millimetres. He flipped the knife in his hand so he could grip it differently and plunged upwards. Slade blocked the upcoming arm and held it attempting to twist the knife out of his apprentice's hand.

Dick used this new hold as leverage. He placed his other hand on the floor and used it as a balance to lift his legs and wrap them around Slade's left shoulder, one leg on his shoulder and the other below his armpit. Using his whole body weight he heaved Slade over him until they both crashed to the floor. Slade used that time to gain full control of the knife, but Dick abandoned it and swiftly relieved Slade of his gun that he carried on his side.

Dick rolled back from his position on the floor, and used the momentum to rise into a one handed hand stand and then gracefully stand to his feet. Safety on the gun now clicked off and aimed directly at Slade's head.

Master and Apprentice stood there and looked at each other. Slade's eye cold and calculating. "Don't do something you'll regret Renegade," his voice coming out smooth as if they hadn't just had an intensive battle.

Dick's breath was a little more laboured as he spoke, "The only thing I'll regret is not doing this sooner." He responded. He was surprised how still his hand was in this moment, thinking his feelings and anger would betray him causing him too shake.

Slade cocked his head to the side, "And what do you plan on doing Richard? Walking out of here and getting… what? You're nothing without me."

"I might be nothing without you" Dick said deadpan, "But I'm nothing with you either. And I'm done playing your little game."

"Renega…" Slade began but Dick was done listening. Before the black and orange mercenary could even begin Dick cocked his gun and fired.

Three bullets flew out of the chamber, soared through the air and impaled themselves into Slade Wilson's head.

As the body of the mercenary started to fall backwards towards the ground Dick kept on firing bullets; them landing in his chest. Once Dick no longer had a clear shot he walked forward and kept on firing until the gun was empty and Dick was standing over the body of his Master. Blood seeping out and staining the little bit of oranges the outfit them red.

Three bullet holes in his forehead, blood dribbling into his white hair. Close to a dozen bullets in his chest. Dick knew it was overkill, but overkill was needed when killing your nightmares, just to be sure they where dead.

The teenager studied the face of his master, his tormentor. His single grey eye wide, it almost looked like the all mighty Deathstroke was surprised. It was strange how he still seemed so alive, ready at any moment to blink his eye and launch up from the ground and stroke Dick down.

But the slow realisation of what Dick had just done was slowly sinking in. Slade was dead. The nightmare was over. The man who held all the cards had over played his hand and had lost.

Then why did Dick feel so empty? Standing tall over the body of Slade didn't give Dick any satiation or sense of victory. It was just another body to add to his already existing pile. Another life he had taken. Another death on his consciences.

Dick just felt numb.

But Dick could live with this murder. He could carry the memory and weight of this moment. Renegade wasn't dead but at least his master was.

Dick looked to the computer in the room. He knew all the information that lay on it. It was the only hardware copy of all the information Deathstroke needed. The rest was securely online or in Slade's head and Dick had dealt with the mercenary personally. He could deal with the online files, bank accounts and what ever else later. For now though, Dick sent a small explosive towards the computer, just big enough to destroy the computer and nothing else.

With one final look towards the blooded mercenary Dick left the room and walked out of the haunt. The cold night air hitting him and making the blood rush to his cheeks in defence. Dick sighed for no real reason. He gazed up at the stars and realised he hadn't really looked at them in a while. Staring up at the familiar and yet unfamiliar sight somehow seemed to unravel a knot in his mind.

What had happened had actually happened. It wasn't a dream or nightmare or hallucination. It was real. The monster was dead. Slade was no longer hear to control Richard.

After a moment Dick used his communication devise and hologlove to contact a number. After a few beeping sounds a deep, steady voice sounded out, "This is WatchTower who it this?". It was Martian Manhunter.

"Deathstroke the Terminator, mercenary for hire and known assassin can be found at the co-ordinates you've just received."

Dick disconnected from the call. The Justice League had what they needed now. Slade was a wanted man and people needed to know he was no longer a threat. The dark haired boy slipped the comm of his ear along with the hologlove on his wrist. He threw them to the ground and smashed them beneath his feet.

Now only one thing really remand. It was time for Renegade to turn himself in.

One option could just be to wait around for the justice league to show up and take him in but… they'd find out who he was. They'ld be disgusted with who he was now and that sweet innocent boy they had buried, that memory they had of him could be ruined. Dick couldn't have that, for his benefit or their's he wasn't sure. What might be worse is that they'd stop Dick from turning himself in and Dick needed to. Them trying to justify all the monstrous acts he had done but Dick needed to make sure he at least got some sort of justice for all those he harmed. He couldn't have the Justice League stopping him from doing that.

So that just left who to turn himself into. Renegade had pissed off many different governments, organisations and individuals who'd be happy to put a bullet in his head or lock him up in a cage for the rest of his life. Dick didn't really care which as long as no one from his old life found out the truth about him. The face behind Renegade. The Russian Mafia or Mexican Cartel would be good places to go to.

However, before Dick could make that trip, he needed to see this through. Make sure the Justice League made it here and recovered Slade's body. Finish this properly before Dick surrendered himself to his own fate.

With that thought in mind the dark haired teen walked away from the safe house and across the country dirt road. He walked into the open field beyond that, that had long dry grass in it. Just beyond it was a forest. Dick walked to the first line of trees and climbed up one. He positioned himself so he could see the exit of the warehouse he had just left.

Dick was hidden from view but could see everything he needed to. He didn't need to worry about the Justice League finding him. They were looking for Deathstroke and they weren't much for investigating or looking past the obvious.

So he sat and waited. Waited for the heroes in tights and capes to arrive.

* * *

"Martian Manhunter you called" the amazonian asked, worry lacing her voice but her fists clenched ready for battle if needs be. Her hair swung from side to side as she walked with purpose to the main control room where the martian was. Superman following hot on her heels.

"We received a tip that Deathstroke could be located at these co-ordinates." The martian spoke with his usual lack of emotion. He pulled up a holo image of the world, a red dot appearing where the co-ordinates lead to.

"Deathstroke?" Clark queried, not having heard the name before.

"Mercenary" the martian filled in, "he's been credited with more then a dozen assassinations, thefts and terror threats. His record is every extensive and those are just the things we can prove he was involved in."

"How come he's never been caught?" Wonder women asked more to herself but Manhunter answered nevertheless, "He has always eluded authority and members of the Justice League."

Clark nodded his head, "Where did the tip come from?"

"Unknown" Wonder Women and Superman were surprised by answer. "This was all that was said by the unknown figure." Martian went over to the controls and replayed the conversation he had had with the mystery voice. "They hacked into our security to make the call".

Surprise once again flashed across the two superhero's faces. There was only a handful of people that could hack into their security. This meant that this wasn't a concerned citizen or prank. This person information was properly correct but the real question was for how long?

Clark assumed control, "J'onn you stay with finding out who placed that call, Wonder Women and I will go check out this location."

"What if the information wrong?" Wonder women asked.

"This is Deathstroke. Can we really risk to not checking this out?"

* * *

It took longer then Dick thought it would but finally blue and red coloured figures flew down and landed before the building. Dick was a little surprised to see them here. They were two of the top powerhouses of the league.

It did make Dick's breath catch in his throat to see these two. They were like an aunt and uncle to him and the last time he had seen Clark, the boy-scout had been telling him how it was all going to be okay.

Emotions started to bubble up inside of Dick from seeing those two but it was quickly subsided with the numb feeling he had had since he left Gotham. Dick watched as the two disappeared into the building and he expected to see them remerge 10 minutes later.

But it wasn't ten minutes later. Dick assumed they'd find the body quickly, talk a bit and then one would leave to get someone so they could further investigate the scene.

But after twenty minutes of waiting the two brightly coloured hero reappeared but with another figure in tow. And this figure wasn't being carried out… he was walking out on his own two legs.

Dick's heart froze. Wait what? That couldn't be right. Three figures couldn't be walking out. Dick squinted his eyes to get a better look but he still didn't trust what he was seeing. He reached into one of the compartments on his belt and pulled out some high tech night vision goggles. But the image still didn't change.

Right before him was a walking - and supposedly breathing - and living Slade Deathstroke Wilson.

And it didn't matter that he was in handcuffs and in-between two of big powerhouses of the league. This was still Dick's worst nightmare and he had never felt more unsafe.

Everyone has that nightmare where they finally get to punch the face the haunts their nightmares and plagues their dreams. Some people even imagine finally vanquishing them. But then it becomes a nightmare when nothing you do effects that thing you so badly want gone. They just laugh off your pitiful attempts at stopping them and then you've never felt so small.

Well Dick was living that nightmare. Right. Now. Except it was ten thousand times more worse.

Dick had killed Slade. He had killed his tormenter, emptied a whole clip into his chest and head. He was dead. Dick knew the look of death and Slade was that a little while ago. Dead and bleeding on the floor. No human could have survived that. No one. And yet here Slade was. Slade was very much alive.

Deathstroke seemed to be studying the tree line as the two superhero's that were frog marching him had stopped for a second. Slade was scanning the forest for something. Then his gaze fixed on where Dick was.

Dick suddenly felt very vulnerable and weak. He watched Slade very carefully through his goggles to see what Slade would do next.

All Slade did was smirk.

* * *

 _A.N. come on you didn't think it would be that easy did you? ;)_


	30. Lost

_Warnings: for spelling and grammar._

 _Previously on Things Change:_

 _After learning about Jason's death Dick finally tries to take control of his life and he kills Slade. Only for Slade to walk away unharmed?!_

 _On with the Show!_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 30: Lost_**

Alfred pulled the car up to the cemetery. He couldn't find Master Bruce in the Batcave and he never seemed to be in the house anymore. So Alfred had come here, where Master Bruce seemed to spend most of his time since the weeks after Master Jason's passing.

The funeral had been a small and somber occasion but not much could have been expected otherwise. A few of the Justice League member's had come but more out of respect and support for Bruce rather then Jason. Jason had only really know them for less then a year and most of the time Jason had kept his distance from most of them.

Alfred made his way through the gates and down the path. It suddenly seemed like a longer journey then it usually did. Every time the ever faithful Butler had to walk down this path it meant another person he cared for was gone. It was a reminder of what had been lost and Alfred had hoped he wouldn't have to witness another person he cared about put into the ground again.

He finally saw the broken man in an expensive suit he was looking for. Alfred approached him and stopped a few steps behind him. Arms behind his back, eyes unwavering but heart slightly breaking. Master Bruce was standing in front of Jason gravestone, staring at it as if hoping to hear the voice that had been taken from them.

"Master Bruce."

Bruce didn't respond but Alfred knew he had heard him and he also knew not to push him. Bruce seemed to be very fragile nowadays. After the passing of late Master Dick Bruce had become focused, violent and angry. The true embodiment of the Dark Knight in every aspect; but after Master Jason's passing, after Bruce had come home after from his encounter with the Joker, he had become sad, grief ridden and unfocused in all tasks. Alfred would often find him staring off into space many times either in the Batcave or here. It was a side of Bruce Alfred had never seen. Not for a long time anyway.

Alfred missed the next words Master Bruce spoke but the sound did pull him from his own thinking, "Master Bruce?"

"It's my fault Alfred."

"No, it's not." Alfred immediately objected, knowing straight away what Master Bruce was talking about.

"It is" Bruce interrupted. But it wasn't said forcefully, it was said quietly and showed the true extent of how broken the man in front of the butler was. "He left because I wasn't a good enough father… again. He thought I favoured Dick. My endless paranoia and obsession cost me another one of my sons."

"Master Jason had many demons of his own Master Bruce and no one could have dealt with them except him. But he is not responsible for what happened that night. And you are not responsible for what happened that night. The only one to blame is the Joker."

Bruce sighed lightly. He had had this very same argument in his head but it did little to relieve him. He would always blamed himself for their deaths. He should have never become a father, meddled in things he was not good at one had no right to meddle in. Jason had brought so much happiness into his life and some sort of peace within Bruce but now it had been ripped away.

"Jason was right; He spoke the truth. I was obsessing over Dick's death like I do with everything and he was right. There is no scheme or plot or evil behind Dick's death. Just a broken man who wasn't a good father trying to find reason where there was none."

Alfred wanted to protest but Bruce carried on. "I will not dishonour Jason's memory by continuing this useless pursuit. It should have ended long ago."

There was nothing for Alfred to say. That was the comment of a man who's mind was made up and there was never ever any convincing of Bruce otherwise once that had happened.

Bruce pulled something from his pocket that Alfred couldn't see and then placed it against the tomb stone. He stayed there for a few more moments then moved away, walking down the path back to the car.

Alfred glanced at what had been placed next to the tombstone by Master Bruce. It was a copy of a photo of the two of them. Master Bruce and Master Jason in the park, both of them smiling at the camera. It was a happy day that had turned into a beautiful memory. Now it only provided the contrast to how bad things were now. A reminder of what was lost.

* * *

Dick's heart froze when he saw Slade walk out on his own two feet, and it felt like it hadn't really started up again since. The teenager had spent every waking moment since searching for the mercenary and tracking down where he was. The dark haired boy barely slept or ate. Only enough to keep him going.

He had stripped away all his weapons that was on him, leaving everything in that forest he was hiding in. He didn't want to carry the tools of a mercenary with him anymore. Dick stole himself some clothes: black jeans, a grey top and an old stained jacket, he didn't want to be recognised or associated with Renegade any more.

He had been tracking Slade pretty well on a laptop he had acquired, it was helpful that he had helped construct the WatchTower mainframe. He tracked that Slade spent a few days in WatchTower being interrogated and what not. Then he was turned over to the U.S. Government and much of the same happened seemed that his capture had gained the attention of a women who worked for the government called Amanda Waller who had taken an interest in Deathstroke's skill set. So in three days time Slade was gonna be shipped off to a government facility and join a programme called Task Force X, or its more colourful name - The Suicide Squad.

So that meant Slade was only gonna be in Ryker's Island Penitentiary prison for three more days. Dick only had three days to get the answers that had been building inside of his head, plaguing many hours of sleep away from Dick.

So after two weeks of searching, locating and planning Dick was finally walking down the corridor into the solitary confinement section of the prison were Slade was being kept.

For one of the top prisons in the country, it was alarmingly easy to get into, but Dick guessed when you could easily steal from Lex Luthor, who thought of everything, everything else became simple and easy.

Dick quickly learnt the routes of the guards, the camera's blind spots and exactly where Slade was being held. He had minutes to talk to Slade and then 10 minutes on top of that to get back out of the compound to avoid detection.

And thats exactly what Dick did. He slipped into the building, avoided the guards, used the blind spots to his advantage and much too soon for his liking he was standing in front of the cell door that held Deathstroke.

The door was solid metal and the only view into the room was a small window in the middle of the door that was broken up by prison bars. Slade was currently reclining on his bed sporting a blue prison jump suit. Anyone looking at him now wouldn't see him as such a high level threat, but Dick had three years of scars to prove otherwise.

Dick stood staring into the room, he knew he should speak but he had completely lost his voice. Fortunately - or unfortunately Dick wasn't sure right now - part of Dick's shadow was casted into the cell covering what little light there was already in there.

Slade noticed this and tilted his head to see who was at his door. When he recognised who it was, a sinister smile spread across his face. He stood up and walked towards the door and it took every ounce of Dick's will power not to step backwards.

The older man leaned his arms against the door, "Apprentice".

Dick waited until he was sure his voice wouldn't break to show how scared he was to be back in this man's presence. "I'm no longer your apprentice."

"Oh but you are," that velvet like voice spoke, "I made you into the person you are. You are my property. Nothing can change that."

The midnight haired boy wanted to refute this... but he couldn't. He still felt like Slade's property. His little toy. So Dick decided to move the conversation to the reason why he was here. Or more importantly how Slade was here.

"How?" he asked.

Slade brow furrowed in confusion, "How what Apprentice?" but it was all an act. An act just to wind Dick up.

"You were dead." Dick stated.

Slade shifted his position slightly but that single amused eye remained on the boy in front of him. "Death isn't as permanent as it used to be. Miracle cues, Lazarus pits and magical healing are far too common place now and death has become a brief remission from life rather then a permeant state." It annoyed Dick to no end that even behind bars and locked away, it still felt like Slade was still giving bloody lectures.

Slade eyes scanned the boy up and down, "How about this, you answer a question of mine and I'll answer yours."Dick nodded slowly. He didn't want to be making deals but everyone made deals with the devil in the end. "Tell me Apprentice, how did it feel to kill me?"

The teenager knew he would have to answer honestly if he wanted to get anything out of Deathstroke.

"Nothing." Dick said quietly, but Slade still heard it, "…I didn't feel anything. Not relief or happiness or sadness or hatred. I felt… nothing."

Slade studied the boy for any signs that he was lying. He knew all of his apprentices tricks and tell-tale signs when he told a lie. So he knew when his apprentice was trying to deceive him. But he saw none. A smirk spread across his face as he heard what the boy's reaction to his 'death' had been. It was... interesting.

"Many years ago.." Slade started to say, savouring the moment, "…I was in the army. They gave me the opportunity to be in a test group for a new drug they were creating. It didn't work, not as they had expected. Instead it gave me regenerative powers allowing me to heal from anything. A knife wound, a gun shot. Even death itself. However I was the only one that survived so they finished the experiment with me."

Though Dick's eyes were still on the mercenary in front of him after he had finished speaking, Dick had now zoned out now. ' _Slade couldn't die. He couldn't be killed. He could never be stopped, not permanently anyway.'_

Slade was drinking in the shocked expression of his apprentice as he realised the full circumstances of what this little revealed secret meant. He leant his hands in-between the bars, with sickening look of victory in his eyes. Dick without meaning to flinched away from that look.

"Yes Apprentice. You will never be rid of me, I am the one nightmare that will keep on coming after you. Always there, two steps behind or two steps ahead… it doesn't matter. You can never defeat me. I will always be there."

Dick stared into the cold eye. Even with Slade stripped of armour and weapons, bars and steel in-between them, he was still terrifying. Shadows hiding half of his face as if he was still wearing his mask, his signal eye staring out promising punishment.

"Then I'll just kill myself and be done with it" Dick said. He had tried to do it once, he could do it again. If that was his only salvation from this hell he would gladly do it.

Slade just rolled his eyes as if bored, "You could, but you would die knowing that I'll destroy several cities in my rage just like I did to that little mall. You remember that don't you?" That stupid smirk was back on his face, "You might not be there to see it, but the whole world will know it was because of you. I'll make sure of that." Slade promised.

The blue eyed boy seemed to be breathing heavier. Dick was trying to keep it together. To not fall apart especially not in front of Slade, but that was a hard thing to do.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Dick's voice slowly growing in volume and stress, "What do you gain from all of this?" Dick didn't understand why any of this had happened. Slade might have said in the past why Richard was the perfect Apprentice but he never said why he did it. Dick couldn't have been worth all the effort and hassle just to gain an apprentice Deathstroke could never be sure of the loyalties of.

Slade didn't respond and Dick didn't expect him to. Slade would always enjoy tormenting Dick and this unanswered question was just part of his torment. The teenager knew he was done here. He wasn't going to get anything more from his former master if that smirk on his stupid face was anything to go by. Dick turned and started to walk down the hall but stopped when he heard that honey smooth voice speak again.

"The promise I made so long ago still stands Apprentice. If you see anyone from your past again, I'll put a bullet in each and everyone of them. And don't be fooled into a false sense of security, because once I'm out of here… I will recollect my property."

Dick didn't know how to respond so he didn't. He slipped out of the prison the way he came in, started up his motor cycle and just started to drive, not concentrating on where he was going. Just trying to distract himself from the tears falling down his face. The ones that had been building up for what seemed like an age now. Dick might no longer be Renegade anymore, but he was till a traitor and he was still was stuck in a prison, except now that prison exceeded four simple walls.

After hours of riding and speeding down roads Dick finally pulled up at a cross roads and he felt like bursting into tears or breaking something when he saw where one of the signs pointed.

 _'Gotham'._

Dick hadn't been thinking were he was going. He was just running. He had just wanted to forget everything and run.

His body had just gone on auto pilot and even after three years, Gotham city was the closest thing he had to a home. It was the one stable point in his childhood. He loved the circus but that was a world travelling home, and these past three years didn't really provide him with anything close to a santuary. Not like Gotham, where he spent six years of his life in. A natural destination his body had wanted to go to. But a place he no longer belonged.

It wasn't his home anymore. Too much had happened and Dick didn't think he would ever be welcomed back there.

Dick ripped the motor cycle helmet from his head and threw it away from him. He didn't know what he was meant to do now. He had no plan, no idea on what to do next. He was living on borrowed time as of now and who knew how long that would last.

He didn't know what he was meant to do next. What was there to do next. Slade was in prison, where he belonged. And Dick never wanted to be Renegade again. He had never wanted to become that. But that was who he was? Wasn't it? So he should turn himself in. But that meant two things. He would be locked away like he should be, but he would be a sitting duck. Waiting for Slade to escape and then came after him. There was no way for Dick to hide if he was sitting rebind bars. The other option of turning himself in was being killed, which he deserved but that still didn't lead to a good option.

 _"_ _I'll destroy several cities in my rage"_

Slade Wilson always kept his promises, and Dick couldn't handle the devastation that would come because of him. He wouldn't have that. He couldn't. So what was left?

He could go to the League. But… this was a selfish reason and Dick knew it but… he couldn't see them. He couldn't face them. To look them in the eye and for them to call him the monster he was. His memories of the League were untouched and happy. Dick wanted to leave them like that.

So where did that leave Dick? Slade was dealt with for now and there was no where Dick to go. All he had was the clothes on his back, memories to haunt him and a future to scare him.

Dick felt so lost. What did he do next? Who was he even?

Dick's eyes refocused on the 'Gotham' sign and he could no longer contain it. Every horror of the past three years, the faces of the people he had killed, seeing Batman with that much rage when he faced the Joker, learning of Jason's death… Jason. The dark haired boy yelled at the sky. Letting out all of his anger, grief, hatred, sadness and depression. Yelling at all the heavens as tears finally streamed down his face. No one heard him scream and Dick didn't care if anyone could have.

Finally, Dick collapsed. His body exhausted, his heart ripped apart and his mind overwhelmed with the capacity of everything that had happened.

He just lay there on the cold ground and stared up at the black sky where it held the occasional star in sight. Lying there and letting the tears roll down his face. The build up of the last few weeks finally crashing down on him.

He had finally killed his monster… only to learn it was something that could never be banished.

The teenager had finally taken his freedom, but it wasn't real. And what was his freedom? Who was he even? He wasn't the sarcastic, for ever optimistic kid he was before. He wasn't that boy being broken and stripped away each day. He wasn't the adrenaline seeking mercenary he was conformed to be, trying to just focus on the next mission and ignore everything else.

All he was now was a nameless boy with blue eyes and dark hair and really, those things meant nothing.

Dick found himself staring up at the night sky, tears drying on his face and feeling broken. Defeated. He didn't know who he was, and what he was going to do. He just felt empty.

* * *

 _A.N. tada..._

 _yep these past couple of chapters have been pretty depressing but here's the exciting thing now my lovelies... it can only get better from here... right? ;)_

 _I can't believe how many chapters its taken me to get to this point but we're finally here. This is where Nightwing's story begins and I have a cool idea of how Dick's gonna achieve that, that makes sense to me. But hope you're enjoying it and thank you too all of you who are still reading this story! means so much to me. Please comment, rant, yell or politely say what you think!_

 _Till next time_

 _M_


	31. Before The Lantern

_AN: I am so sorry I'm late updating, its been a hectic time and then I didm like how I was writing so I had to rewrite some chapters ahead and ... anyways here's your next chapter sorry for the wait! Thanks for being patient!_

* * *

 **Chapter 31: Before The Lantern**

At a time when it could be called either night or morning, on the side of a road lay a lost boy. His back and black hair were damp from the wetness of the grass. His skin looked an unhealthy white and only brought out the contrast of his red eyes. Eyes still wet but he no longer had the energy to spill any more tears.

Those clouded over blue orbs stared lifeless at the black sky. It was as if he was waiting for the stars to answer all of his life's questions; big or small it mattered not. This boy was just so lost that any answer, realisation or order might help him.

After what felt like endless hours later the teenager stood up and started to walk. Forgetting and abandoning his motorcycle on the side of the rode and any other possessions that was not on him. He didn't head towards his old home or retrace his steps back but instead walked down the side of the rode that was unfamiliar to him.

It started to lightly rain again but the wandering teenager didn't care. His clothes absorbed the water like a sponge, sticking uncomfortable to his skin. His hair now falling in front of his face and obscuring his vision, his feet blistering from the ill fitting sneakers he had acquired. Though his joints ached and he had eaten little food or had little sleep in these past few days he carried on walking. The only think he could seem to do for the moment was breath and walk.

He didn't notice when the path he was walking on become slowly more illuminated by street lamps and the growing lights of a city he was approaching. He didn't really notice when he actually entered the city and the buildings grew in height. He was content to just walk. Mind numb and body unfeeling. It was like his brain had been overwhelmed and something had finally short circuited in there. Now he was just at his basic functions. Unsure what would reboot it. If he ever really wanted it rebooting.

But what did draw his attention was a shout. A yell from a stranger in the alley he was passing.

"Someone help me!"

Dick stopped walking and briefly considered what to do: A, continue walking or B, see who was screaming for help.

His decision was made when he heard another yell. This one higher pitched and more distressed. He entered the dark alley and studied the scene in front of him.

Dick saw a slim guy who was looking around trying to find an exit while being circled. Dick couldn't help but compare him to a deer in the head lights and for that reason he quickly named him 'Bambi' in his head. The stranger who had called out had hazel eyes, wide with fear and uncertainty and brown hair that looked shaggy and in need of a hair cut. He wore a white top with jeans and a heavy coat over the top.

Five thugs surrounded him and Dick knew it was going to turn ugly for Bambi pretty quick.

Dick not bothering to talk or draw attention away from the scared stranger, walked closer to the ring of thugs. No one noticed him. He moved like a ghost. Dick ended up standing directly behind one of the goons and still no one noticed; Except for Bambi who's eyes widened in hope or fear or just general surprise Dick didn't know or care.

Dick rose his hand and used it to press some pressure points in the thugs neck. He collapsed unconscious with no resistance.

The other thugs looked at their friend in annoyance and surprise. That surprise increased when they finally noticed the dark haired stranger who had just joined them. That surprise quickly turned into anger.

This would normally be where Dick would say a witting comment or show a humorous smile, but Dick wasn't really that person anymore so instead he just stood there with a blank stare on his face, waiting for their next move.

It came when two of the thugs lunged towards him but Dick jumped kicking them both in the face at the same time. It sent both men reeling back giving Dick the time to land and quickly back flipped to gain some distance away from them. The dark haired boy's usual sharp movements sloppier then normal due to exhaustion and lack of nutrition, but still enough that these thugs posed no real threat to Dick. Not that Dick really cared if he got hurt, he had a feeling he might enjoy the pain.

One of the thugs he had already hit charged at him again, running at the midnight haired boy like a bull. Dick waited… and waited and then at the last moment jumped and caught hold the railing the led to the stair case above him. The thug having no control of his forward momentum crashed into the wall behind him.

Dick jumped down just as the other thug tried attacking him but he too was quickly knocked out. Too slow to even understand how he ended up there. Dick might be exhausted and running on low energy but he was an pathetic.

One of the last two thugs came close to Dick with a knife and started to slash widely. Dick having been a bit distracted with the guy before him only saw the knife quick enough to hold up his arm. He felt the flashing of pain spread from his wrist to his elbow as his skin was split open. The teenager ducked the next wild slash in the air and caught his arm quickly twisting it until the knife clattered to the floor. Using his position Dick was able to slam the thugs head down, his forehead meeting Dick's raised knee. Nose breaking and thug now curled up on the floor.

There was only one thug left but he looked like he was about to pee his pants. So not bothering with him Dick took Bambi's arm and steered him out of the dark street and down the road to a more well light area.

Bambi didn't speak still in shock from what had happened so once Dick thought he had a safe enough distance between them and the alley containing the thugs he turned to Bambi.

He wasn't really sure what to say and his face still contained that blank look but it seemed Bambi had finally broken out of what ever trance he had been in, "Holy crap that was awesome! You just appeared like a ninja and then where like KAPOW! and HiYAY! and then they just got K.O and it was the coolest thing I'ld ever seen! Definitely the closest thing I've seen to a ninja movie or a comic book strip!"

Dick felt a bit overwhelmed by sudden enthusiasm this guy spoke with. He was really loud. And seemed to be way to happy. Dick hadn't met anyone this energetic since… well he didn't want to pinpoint that memory.

Looking at the guy in front of him now Dick realised he wasn't as young as he thought. More like 24 or 25 but still young enough that he gave off the whole Bambi vibe.

The stranger was still rambling but stopped with an eager expression on his face. Dick realised he was probably supposed to say something. So he kind of just awkwardly nodded his head and then said, "Yeah... well… okay… you got someone to call to or somewhere to go?" _Damn when did it get so hard to talk to people?_ Another thought Dick didn't want to linger too long on.

Luckily the stranger in front of him started to talk again. "Oh yeah I live like 10 minutes away."

Dick nodded his head again only starting to feel the blood dripping down his arm. Dick slightly winced when he moved it. Bambi seemed to notice this, "Oh crap your arm. You gonna be okay?" he said while trying to get a better look at it.

"Yeah I'll be fine" Dick said but it seemed the other man finally seemed to notice the current state Dick was in.

"Dude you're soaked through and now bleeding. You got a place to stay for tonight?"

Dick wasn't quite quick enough to respond or come up with the lie, this lead the stranger to take matters into his own hands. "Well, since you helped me tonight I'd better return the favour. You'll stay with me." And just like how Dick was being steered by Bambi towards where ever he lived. The positions from moments before reversed.

Bambi started to talk energetically along the way but the only thing Dick caught was "By the way my name's Kyle Rayner."

* * *

An hour or so later Dick found his self in some dry, borrowed clothes, a bandage wrapped haphazardly around his arm and sitting on a couch. The apartment he was in was bare and small. The kitchen and living room made up one place with a large red couch taking up most of the space, facing a Tv that was mounted on the wall. Dick assumed a bedroom could be found through the other door in the room.

Kyle was being busy around the kitchen as he made some drinks. There was bit of an awkward silence Kyle tried to fill with meaningless chatter but Dick was not helping with that at all.

Finally the brunette boy made his way over to Dick with two steaming cups of tea in his hand. "Here's some tea. Hope you don't like sugar in it because I don't have any."

Dick just nodded his head, his tongue feeling like lead in his mouth and not being very co-operative for making conversation. Not that he had much to say, his mind was still numbingly blank apart from the thought that it was a bad idea letting this Kyle Rayner drag Dick into his apartment.

The other man sat down on a chair next to the couch, "So whats your name?" he asked.

Dick said the first name that came to mind, "Mickey". Crap he really wished hadn't said that name. It was the name Jason had randomly given him at that cafe that felt like a life time ago. Dick bowed his head and stared into his coffee.

"Well, good to meet you Mickey," Kyle held out his hand but Dick didn't notice, still staring at his coffee. Kyle awkwardly dropped his hand and leaned back into his seat, starting to ramble due to his nerves. "I'm Kyle… but i already told you that... So where you from Mickey?"

The dark haired boy didn't respond.

"What you doing in Bludhaven?" he tried again.

Still nothing.

"You don't talk that much do ya?" he joked and still nothing. He slightly sqwimed in his seat starting to wonder what spurred him to invite this guy to his place. Well, he did save his life. But then again this guy looked homeless. And he was a really good fighter. And he was pretty scary. And showed no emotion. With his thoughts spiralling out of control he suddenly blurted out, "You're not an axe wielding mass murderer are you?"

This caught Dick's attention. "What? No."

Kyle nodded his head, some of his brown hair falling out from behind his ear. He didn't looked anymore comforted by Dick's answer, so Dick tried again, "Sorry its just been a… really bad couple of weeks".

Kyle seemed relieved that the stranger in front of him actually spoke a full sentence. This encouraged him to carry on talking. "Its cool, I've been told I pry into people personal stuff too much, but to be fair I did just invited a stranger into my house so had to ask… but I guess you saved my neck out there so you can't be that bad of a guy."

Blue eyes were now intensely on him. Dick hadn't met someone so… trusting and innocent like this in a long time. It felt alien him. Kyle must of picked up on the weird look 'Mickey' was giving him for he said, "I've also been told I've talked too much too."

Dick rushed in to make Kyle feel less awkward, "No its fine, I just don't talk that much."

Another silence descended while both boys uncomfortable sipped their teas. It was interrupted with the pinging noise of the dryer. Kyle practically skipped out of the room now that he had something to do and Dick stayed seated.

All of this was... weird. Dick had always been the social butterfly but now he felt like Kyle was speaking a different language which Dick couldn't understand a word of. Dick had never been in this situation before. He used to be a showman able to talk to anybody. He might not have talked much as Renegade but at least it never felt awkward, but Dick guessed that was because he hadn't been around normal people for so long. He hadn't been normal in so long.

Kyle came back in with Dick's now dried clothes slung over his arm. "Here you go," he said while handing them over to Dick which Dick excepted. Kyle stood there uncomfortably rocking out on his feet.

"Okay well I'm gonna go to bed I'm beat. You're welcome to stay on the couch or leave. I don't have any covers or other pillows to lend you… actually you can see I don't have a lot here… so yeah." He said and then gave a little awkward wave while saying good night.

Dick watched him as he walked away but he had to ask, "Why are you doing this?"

The brunette boy turned back to him, "Doing what?"

"Being nice to me?" Dick clarified.

"I don't really know…" Kyle shrugged. "Cause you helped me when you didn't have to and now I'm returning the favour. Even if its a real stupid decision on my part." he mumbled that last bit more for him self but Dick still heard.

As Kyle closed his bedroom door he faintly heard the stranger on his couch say ,"Thanks."

 _Guess he's not so much of an alien_ Kyle thought to himself. But Kyle still shoved a chair in front of his bedroom door and placed numerous books on top to act as a barricade. It probably wouldn't do anything to stop someone from coming in but Kyle felt better and he had watched way too many horror movies to not at least try something.

* * *

The brunette, next morning, less than gracefully rolled out of his bed. Lazily shaking his hair out of face. He was still half asleep and staggered to the door, easily pushing the chair that was against it out of the way using the door. "Great defence" he muttered to himself but then his brow scrunched up in confusion, _'why did I need a barricade again?'_

He was quickly reminded when he saw the teenager with black hair sitting on his couch, exactly how he left him last night, "Wow you're still here" he blurted out.

He was quickly met with blue eyes, "Urg,.. yeah.. sorry" the teenage offered. Kyle quickly started to speak to make sure the other teen didn't feel like he had over stepped or something, "Naw thats cool. I mean I did offer I just didn't think you would stay."

Judging by the look on 'Mickey's' face it seemed like he was surprised by his actions too.

Kyle walked over to his fridge and drank some milk from the bottle hoping that might lift this sleep induced cloud that was fogging up his brain. It did a little. He looked for some food but only found some lettuce and some suspicious looking cheese.

He heard a movement behind and him and looked back. Mickey was standing up, "right well… I just wanted to say… thanks for last night. That was a really nice thing for you to do for me"

"Some would say idiotic" Kyle said with a smile but he got nothing in return except for a nervous shifting of feet.

"Well thanks anyway." The dark haired teen said again and then made his way to the door, "Bye" and then he left.

It was a bit of an empty goodbye but what else did Kyle expect? Really he should just count his lucky stars it all ended well. He wasn't mugged or stabbed last night and he wasn't killed in his bed this morning. But damn there was something about that guy that seemed so… broken.

Kyle knew it wasn't his problem I mean what could he do? It's not like he was rich or could do anything fancy that might help Mickey. But something didn't feel right about letting him leave like that.

And maybe there was something he could do. Before thinking it all through properly he quickly grabbed his apartment keys and was legging it down the stairs. He spotted who he was looking for on the streets and shouted his name.

"Mickey!"

* * *

Dick had started walking again but this time he was lost in thought. Why had he stayed the night? He hadn't planned to but where else was he meant to go. Staying there had been a really kind gesture on Kyle's part and it had been so long since Dick had anything like that. Pure, honest kindness. No hidden agendas or a quid pro quo, just someone doing something good because they could. Dick had forgotten people could be like that; Having been around murderers, thieves and cold hearted people for so long.

It was a nice reminder. The last 12 hours had been a real juxtaposition to what he was used to but now Dick was just left with walking. Still no where to go and still not knowing who he was.

"Mickey!"

Dick didn't react straight away his mind not recognising the name, that was until he heard it being called a third time, "Mickey!"

The blue eyed boy was greeted with the sight of Kyle running down the street, still in sleep wear, hair wild and eyes bright. Dick waited until he had caught up and then waited until he had regained his breath, not really sure why Kyle had been chasing him in the first place.

"Damn…you… walk…fast" Kyle said between pants. It wasn't like Dick smiled at the comment but some muscles moved in his face the same way they do when your about to smile.

Kyle straightened up and look Dick in the eye, "Do you have anywhere to go?"

Dick was surprised by the bluntness of the question, Kyle always rambled for over a minute before getting to his point. Something about that look in his eye made Dick answer honestly, "No."

Kyle face seemed to light up at that answer for some reason, "Okay then hear me out." He took a big breath prepping himself for the long winded explanation of what he was about to say, "So I don't actually live in Bludhaven, I live in Los Angeles and the reason I came here was for a job interview. I'm a…well trying to be a graphic artist and there was a possible job here but I didn't get it but thats another story. Anyway the place you were at, my 'apartment' I rented for this week because it was cheaper then staying at a hotel and I have a friend who has a cousin who knows the guy that owns it and he got me a good deal."

Kyle sucked in another breath and then continued, "I was gonna stay till the end of the weak but this city just gives me the hebejebes and that was the second time I nearly got robbed last night in less then a week of being here. Also the neighbours cat always sneaks into my place and scratches the hell out of me… "

Dick tilted his head to the side wondering why this guy was blurting out all of this. Kyle seemed to understand the look he was getting, "Right to the point. I want to go home, I booked a bus ride back to Los Angeles. I'm leaving early. But my place is still paid through till the end of the week. Do you want to stay there?"

Blue eyes widened in surprise having not expected this offer at all. And really who would make it? Dick was still a complete stranger to this man.

"And hey I'll give you the guy who owns the building his contact details and you can see if you can keep on renting it and continue to living there…"

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Dick interrupted, really not understanding what was happening.

Kyle was about to make some witty remark but was taken aback to the honesty in Dick's question and that look of pain and vulnerability in his eyes. It was like this guy had never had an ounce of kindness in his thinking it through Kyle wasn't sure why he was being so nice… he guessed it was because the teenager in front of him just had a bird with a broken wing image and Kyle didn't want to the bystander that just walked by it. He knew what that felt like.

"Its kind of a complicated and long story but i guess the short answer is this trips has been a total nightmare but if I can help you a bit then at least it wasn't a totally waste of time being here and like I said, you already saved me so you must be a good guy."

Kyle looked down at his hands embarrassed to say this next part but feeling like it needed to be said. "And I know what it feels like to be struggling. Sometimes you do just need a random act of kindness to help you out".

Brown eyes studied the blue in front of him for a while. 'Mickey' wasn't much of a talker but Kyle think he knew what the answer was to his proposal so all he said was, "Come on. Lets go back to the apartment and I can set you up with everything that you need."

...

A week later Dick found himself sitting on the same couch he had a week before. True to his word Kyle had left later that day and Dick was left with the apartment key in hand. Dick had worked out a deal with the owner of the building and Dick was now gonna be a tenant for the foreseeable future under the name 'Mickey Anderson'.

It was easy to get a fake ID's, they weren't hard to make, and Dick had transferred multiple of Slade's bank accounts into one he now held, using that money to pay for his new apartment. He had also made sure that he covered his online tracks well.

So here Dick was now. With an apartment of his own and now a new stupid name as an identity. But it still felt like Dick was walking. Going through the motions. His brain shut down. He wasn't living and maybe not even surviving. He was just existing. Still unsure of what he could do, but he guess he could just exist in Bludhaven… for now at least.

* * *

 _AN: Bonus points to anyone who knows who Kyle Rayner is in the comics (However I just used his name and personal facts not any of his character traits)_

 _;) So thats my version in how Dick ends up in Bludhaven._

 _I was kinda inspired by reading about how sometimes strangers just do really nice things because its within their power to do them. Like how JK Rowling's neighbour gave here a bunch of money and Rowlings claims she would be nowhere without the kindness of that person. Or how a homeless man found a $4000 ring and spent the time and effect to return it to its rightful owner. There is kindness in the world! And Dick needed a little of that after everything he's been through._

 _And I guess this is the introduction to Dick rebuilding himself. But for now he has a place to live but he's still very much broken._

 _Anyway, I know its been a while since I last updated and I'm sorry for that but its not gonna get much better. My next month will be very hectic and I can't promise a chapter every week. I will try my best but all I can say is I'll try and post sometime during the weekend. Sorry about this! but once its July I will get back to my weekly Thursday updates._

 _So comment, like, dislike let me know. Until next time ;)_


	32. Starting Point

**Chapter 32: Starting Point**

 ** _"_ _There's a scream that can't be silenced. It's rising, growing louder and louder. It's the scream of a child abandoned, suddenly long ago. As the scream echoed then in that alley, it echoes now in my mind. It penetrates all the dark places. It slams into loss, bounces against the regret. And the pain? it still remains with me to this day." - Injustice Gods Among Us_**

* * *

 _Dick's body tensed in fear and expectation… but it could never prepare him for the unbridled pain that coursed white hot through his body. His back arched and his fists clenched and the only reason his teeth didn't crack against each other was the rubber guard in his mouth._

 _Eventually the voltage of electricity was turned down and Dick couldn't help trying to curl up on himself but the chains holding his arms up, prevented this movement. The rubber guard was pulled out from his lips causing a bit of drool to fall down onto his chin. He was then met with a silky voice._

 _"_ _There is an easier way apprentice…"_

 _"_ _I'm not your damn apprentice" Dick huffed out in anger and pain, refusing to meet the man's eyes. The only response he got was the hum of electricity and then the white hot pain again. This one only lasting a few seconds but it was enough to shut the boy up. The need to breathe in oxygen, overpowering the need to lash out with words._

 _Dick heard the movement of Slade moving back in front of him but didn't bother to look up. Too exhausted to raise his head off of his chest."What's the point of denying it Apprentice? This is who you are now. Except where you are wanted."_

 _Slade was briefly surprised when he heard a humourless laugh._

 _"_ _I'll never want to be here…" A voice croaked out, face still bent downwards and black locks sticking to his sweaty forehead. "…And I'm never giving up"._

 _"_ _And what are you fighting for?" Slade asked but already knew the idiotic words the boy was going to say. It was the same words that all men and women who wore capes seem to say._

 _"_ _Against people like you."_

 _"_ _Yes, but who are you fighting_ ** _for_** _?" Slade asked again putting more emphasis on the word 'for'. All he was met with was laboured breathing so Slade continued, "Your family? They're dead. Your adoptive family threw you out believing you had fulfilled your usefulness. You're so called friends never really trusted or valued you as an equal. And for the so called weak public… they never cared. You never made enough of a difference for them to even recognise when you were gone."_

 _Again, only laboured breathing was his response. Slade didn't mind that though. "Your family doesn't care about you. They don't even miss you. I am all you have, Apprentice."_

 _"_ _They'll find me" Dick whispered._

 _Slade pulled up Dick's head by his coal coloured locks making the boy look at him "Then why haven't they?"_

* * *

Dick woke up in a cold sweat. His sheets sticking to him and his eyes now wide open having finally escaped from the memory. Forcing himself to move he got out of bed and went to the shower. Turning the heat on full blast so it was almost scalding, but Dick didn't care. He felt dirty and gross and just needed the pounding of water against his skin.

The nightmares had never gotten better. Some were vivid, some where obscure but they all left him feeling the same.

Hopeless.

Dick remember how much he had hoped for someone… anyone to come and rescue him. Be his saviour, his hero and take him away from that metal room with the black and orange monster. He would have even taken Booster Gold after a certain point. But no one ever came, and the hope that someone was coming soon died out when it started to bring more pain then relief.

Dick soon learnt not to rely on anyone for comfort, physical contact or any sort of nurturing. But that didn't mean Dick didn't miss it. Didn't crave it. Dick might have escaped from the confines of those four wall and the over bearing presence of his unwanted mentor, but Dick still felt the same hopelessness. The same vulnerability and lack of control. But now he just felt the loneliness as well. He was in a city full of people but he was just as alone as before. Maybe even more so.

Once the shower started to turn cold Dick turned it off and dried himself off, tying the towel around his waist. Dick ran his hands through his hair shaking off bits of water in the process. He looked up to where the mirror would have been hanging over the sink. That was one of the first things he had gotten rid off in this apartment.

Well, the first thing he had smashed.

Dick walked out of the bathroom and pulled on a pair of sweats that had been lying abandoned on the floor. He made his way to the kitchen and turned on the coffee machine. It was about midday.

During the months that Dick had gotten settled in Bludhaven he had sorted out all the identification under his new identity 'Mickey'.

'Mickey' had even gotten a job as a bartender in a club which was why he woke up so late in the day. Not that he got good sleep, no matter what time. His sleeps were fitful and riddled with the hauntings of his past, of him

 _"_ _They never really cared for you anyway…"_ Dick heard the same silky voice form his dreams in his head.

The blue eyed boy gripped the counter, knuckles turning white, eyes scrunched up trying to block out the voice. "Shut up" he whispered.

 _"_ _Otherwise they would have found you by now."_

"SHUT UP!" Dick shouted, throwing his coffee mug against the wall. It smashed into tiny fragments and fell just as fat tears fell down Dick's pale cheeks. The teenager slide his back down against the kitchen cupboard. Bringing his knees up to bury his head between them.

He brought his arms around him and started to pick at the stitchings on his arm. The cut that he had received that night he had met Kyle Rayner was still there. It should have healed. It would have healed, but Dick kept on picking at it. Dick liked the sharp pain it brought. A meditating pain to drown out everything else in his overcrowded head. But it didn't always work.

 _"_ _You know what you are… Renegade. You know where you belong…"_

Dick didn't have the energy to block it out. "I know." He whispered to the empty room. "I know".

* * *

The club was pounding with floor and base music. The lights were flashing making everyones faces distorted. Most people were on the dance floor but a few where collapsed on chairs or in corners of the room, from exhaustion or just alcohol was any ones guess.

Normally all these distractions was why Dick liked his job but tonight it just seemed too much. He didn't find it distracting tonight he found it overpowering.

Dick enjoyed working. Serving drinks was easy and it wasn't like he was serving elaborate concoctions or was serving grumpy people their morning coffees. It was simple alcohol that drunk people didn't really care how it tasted as long as it did what was advertised on the tin.

However there were moments when all the noise, lights and people got too much. Dick used to love crowded places, the colours, contact and energy but after three years with Slade Dick had learnt why he should also fear those things. Dick had his whole world drained of colour and he had learnt to flinch away from touch. So sometimes Dick loved being at work and other times he felt like he was going to have a panic attack from too much going on around him.

So when someone needed to take out the garbage Dick leapt at the opportunity, and his co-workers were more then happy to pass over the job.

Clutching the garbage bags in his hand Dick made his way out back and was greeted by the cold air. It felt like drinking water in the desert it was so refreshing to Dick. He took his time walking over to the bins and lifting the lid. Swinging in the bag of garbage where it landed with a thud.

Dick stayed there for a second to let his guard down for a moment. He didn't need to smile a fake smile or have to interpret drunk people's speech or laugh at his annoying co-workers jokes. He just got to just have a second to recollect and breath.

However Dick's moment of lovely solitude was taken from him when he heard a voice.

"Come on pretty girl…. We know you want a little fun…"

Dick didn't like those words. He didn't like the sound of that voice. His protective instincts immediately went up. He crept around the corner to see two dark figures, but he couldn't see who they were talking to. Who ever it was, was probably scared out of their minds he assumed. Which was why Dick was so surprised when he heard a light, teasing voice that seemed to have a faint accent say,

"I'm kinda offend that you _just_ called me pretty… beautiful, stunning, goddess walking the earth are more my speed…"

"What ever you say doll face."

"Not one of the words I gave you. Are you deaf as well as dumb and ugly."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Guess that answers my question."

"Shut up bitch."

"Sorry I didn't realise I was a female dog."

"What the hell you going on about?"

"Wondering what on earth the American educational system is now-a-days."

Dick felt like his jaw was touching the floor at this mysterious girl. He had never known anyone to act like this in this sort of situation. He wasn't sure if he should be worried at how this girl was underrating to the obvious threat or to chuckle slightly. Who ever this girl was definitely quick on her feet, but seemed to have way too much of a motor mouth for her own good.

But when Dick saw one of the figures take a step too close to where he thought the girl was, Dick stepped up. He walked into the light and said calmly, "I think you fellas need to go home".

The two whipped around to see Dick but obviously weren't impressed with what they saw, "Yeah and who are you to stop us?"

Dick shrugged and one of the men didn't seem to like this response. "Why don't you mind your own business" the guy said, walking up to Dick, sticking his finger into Dick's chest.

The dark haired boy not really liking being touched, quickly grabbed the other's hand and snapped back his index finger. The guy howled in pain and snatched his hand into his chest. Dick looked past him towards the other man, "I think you want to get your friend out of here." Dick said calmly.

But the first man wasn't done yet, "I'll sue you, you prick," he spat out angrily.

Dick levelled a calm stare onto him, "Then I'll tell the cops why I had to intervene here and looking at you guys, I know you've already got a record."

They glared at each other but the man's companion seemed to realise that they weren't going to win this fight so he quickly dragged his friend away down the street. Dick watched them until they had left his sight.

Once they had left, Dick fastened his gaze on the figure with the unknown voice he couldn't see before. Standing there was a slender girl wearing skinny black jeans and a cream, lace top. Light orange hair falling down in curls over her shoulders. She also had a sleeve of tattoos going up one of her arms, but it was too dark and Dick was too far away to make out what it might be. The most beautiful feature of her though was the smirk on her face.

Dick wondered what to do or say next was beaten to the punch. "Hey bartender-man right?" she spoke in a smooth voice and Dick now realised she spoke with an English accent. The blue eyed boy slowly nodded his head.

"Cool" she said, "Well thanks for the help." She gave a little salute with her two fingers with a small smile on her face and then walked off down the alley and onto the main high street.

 _'_ _Wait…what?'_ Dick thought to himself. He had overheard those guys and most people would be have been shaken up about that, I mean yeah this was Bludhaven but still. Curiosity and worry growing for this girl Dick walked after her. He didn't have to go very far to find her.

She was leaning against a street lamp with a fresh cigarette between her lips. "You okay?" Dick asked hesitantly and the ginger turned around to face him. "Never better" she replied but Dick could see through the lie; He just wasn't sure what was underneath that. Dick was finding it hard to read this girl. He didn't know if she was being sarcastic or something else entirely.

"Really?" Dick asked.

"Really" she answered but this time there was no trace of sarcasm in her voice. Just sincerity.

She stomped out her cigarette, "Thanks again Bartender". With that she turned around and started to walk away, obviously not wanting company right now.

Dick thought for a brief moment of turning around and heading back inside. Going back to the loud music and crowded rooms, but something didn't sit right with Dick leaving her all by herself.

He weighed up and analysed his options quickly. His head was saying the this girl was fine now and she didn't want the company anyway, but it just felt wrong to leave her alone without her even having a jacket on. Making up his mind he jogged after her.

Soon he was walking in sync with her and had a surprised and confused look thrown his way. "What cha doing Bartender?"

"Well, I'm gonna make sure you get home okay."

"And if I don't want a stranger following me home?" she asked, eyebrow raised and Dick couldn't but think help how good it looked on her.

"Well, then isn't it a coincidence we're both going the same way?" She let out a light laugh and Dick felt something akin to pride for having caused it.

"Fair enough blue eyes. Looks like I've got a man in shining armour for the whole night."

Dick smiled and they slipped into an easy silence. It was… nice? For some reason Dick felt relaxed. Maybe not comfortable, he never felt comfortable any more, but at least he knew he felt at ease with the situation and the company.

However the easy calm Dick had found was about to be thrown out of the window as she suddenly turned towards a door of a diner they were passing.

"You live here?" Dick asked, the question leaping off his tongue.

"Nah just really in the mood for a burger" she commented back. Before she opened the door she turned back to him, "You want to come in? I mean you can wait out here but I really wouldn't want to be your knight in shining armour this time around?"

She looked him up and down for a moment, "Or maybe I would… Doesn't the hero normally get a kiss?"

Luckily she turned so she didn't see the blush creeping onto Dick's cheeks. But before entering through the door she did comment saying, "Or you could always go home. I'm sure there's always drunken fool who needs a helping hand."

With that she walked into the brightly coloured diner.

Needless to say she was surprised when she was greeted again by the same pair of stunning blue eyes that belonged to the hot bartender. She cast a gaze over him and took in the rest of his features. The dark alley and the side glances hadn't given her much.

In front of her was a man with the best pair of eyes she had seen in a long while, contrasting and being framed by unruly black locks that looked ruffled and windswept. His skin was slightly flushed due to the warmth of the diner; It looked a bit paler then she thought it should otherwise though.

He wore black jeans and white top with a leather jacket barely concealing the muscle power of his toned arms and chest beneath it. _'Very bad boy,'_ the ginger couldn't help but admire, but she was still confused how she acquired this stray pup following her home. Not that she felt uncomfortable but she was just used to having to do things herself.

At this point Dick was wondering a similar thing and wondered if he should just take the hint and leave. However he didn't want to learn later on that something had happened to this woman because he had chosen to left. So when the grumpy waitress came he ordered.

"I'll have a cheese burger and a glass of water, thanks." he ordered

The ginger raised her eyebrow but didn't protest to Dick's stubbornness of staying. "Well, I'll have…" Missy said while grabbing a menu, her eyes quickly scanning it "…the double cheese burger and a large chocolate milkshake."

As the waitress wrote down their order with her face remaining in its permanent scowl, she moved off. Dick's attention was drawn back to ginger he had just met.

She had gotten comfortable on her side of the booth having leant back into the corner, her slim arm draping across the back. Eyes flickering around the small diner. Dick finally gave her a complete study.

Her hair was indeed a pale orange falling in soft curls that looked slightly tangled together. She surprisingly had soft grey eyes but Dick could imagine her giving the 'go to hell' look quite easily. She was tiny in figure but was actually just under Dick's height, so 6"8 or 6"9. She seemed comfortable in her clothing opting for boots and jeans instead of heels and a skirt, like so many other girls trying too hard in the club he worked at did.

"So not that I'm ungrateful or anything, but you know your good deeds done ." Missy was blunt and honest. Cutting through any pleasantries. Dick imagined she did that quite a lot. "You can give yourself a pat on the back and leave. I'm a big girl I can handle myself."

"No offence but it didn't look that way" Dick replied back just as blunt. The charm he used to have when he was younger had been eroded away over the years and this might have been one of the longest conversations he had had in weeks.

The ginger smirked clearly not put off, "Well you never got to see my master plan unfold did you? So you will never know the skill that was about to occur?" There was that raised eyebrow again that Dick felt he had memorised already, "Your loss."

Dick smiled at her words but noticed that her hand was slightly trembling. The ginger in front of him gave off an arrogant, sarcastic look that almost sold off her lie so well. But before Dick could call her out on it the drinks were brought over and placed on the table with a heavy thump. Milkshake and water spilling over the side.

Dick grabbed some napkins and started to mop up the spillage, while the ginger used her finger to save any of the overboard milkshake and took a big gulp of the drink afterwards.

"So you never said why you're still here?" she asked.

"Didn't I?" the blue eyed boy replied. "Nope" she commented back, popping the 'p' in the word adding dramatic effect.

Dick licked his lips trying to gather the right words that didn't make him sound like a stalker or something worse, "I guess its more for my benefit the yours". There was that damn eyebrow rise again. "I need to make sure you get home safe so I'm not worrying the whole night about you."

"So this is purely for selfish reasons," she asked for clarity but with a slight teasing tone. The corners of Dick's mouth rose up at the sides. "Guess you can say that" he admitted

After a few seconds when they both realised they had come to a dead end of their previous conversation the first awkward silence descended between the two of them. Only interrupted briefly by the waitress giving them their meals. Still thinking of nothing to say Dick played with a piece of lettuce but the girl opposite full-heartily started to eat her burger, biting into it eagerly.

When she was about halfway through eating her burger, she placed it back down on her plate and took a sip of her drink, her eyes catching Dick's and holding him pinned there for a few moments. Something about her gaze was so penetrating that Dick couldn't look away. He didn't feel vulnerable he just felt… connected.

The moment was broken when she seemed to shake out of it and she seemed to want to lighten the suddenly very heavy mood.

"So even though I would love to know the story as to why anyones parents named their child Bartender, I'm gonna guess that's not your real name."

Dick nodded, wanting to meet her gaze again but her eyes seemed content to flitter every other place, so he just replied "You'ld be right on the money".

"So…. am I gonna have to find a baby name book or are you going to tell me?" she smirked while grabbing a french fry.

"Kinda curious what you think I look like" Dick replied, leaning back into his chair feeling a little more confident with this friendly banter but also avoiding the question.

"Mmmm" She hummed to herself, placing one arm on the table and the other upright so her chin could rest on it.

"Dark haired, blue eyes, confident, saviour complex, smart-ish…"

Dick rose an eyebrow, she rose her hands up in sign of defence, "Hey I've known you for less them half an hour, don't judge." Dick nodded in agreement.

"I'm gonna go with… Damien."

Dick choked on a bit of water and Missy laughed at his reaction, "Guess you don't like that name."

"No, not really" Dick confirmed. _I mean, who would name their child Damien?_

After a couple of mouthfuls of her food the ginger asked, "So what do you get off me. I'm curious by what impression I've made".

Dick thought for a second but decided to be honest like she seemed to be being, "I don't think I could ever pick a name to fit you. Unique orange haired girl who doesn't seem to be threatened by anything, her tongue too quick for her own good, seems impulsive and doesn't even realise when she is in danger."

Missy shrugged seeming to take his observation more as a compliment then an insult.

Dick smiled a small genuine smile. His face muscles felt a little stained by the action as it had been a while since he had smiled like that. But it was worth it when Missy's grey eyes lightened up a bit.

Cocking her head to the side as she commented "Bartender, if you smiled like that you'd get the biggest tips in this whole city."

Missy went back to her half eaten burger and Dick took a sip of his water. Dick wasn't sure what it was about this girl but she just seemed… warm. Not like her body temperature was higher then normal, but something about the way she studied things, spoke, the energy that came off her was warm. It reminded Dick slightly of Alfred. A calming presence and a gaze that could read everything about you like it was an open book.

Dick suddenly shifted nervously. He felt comfortable with this girl, something he hadn't felt with anyone in a while. Yes, he had spent time with some other people but he was always on alert, on edge. For the first time in so long he wanted to be open with a person and that was dangerous. It made him vulnerable. This train of thought Dick's body language become more rigid, his eyes seemed to be locking in on the exit door as if he was ready to bolt and make a quick escape. His new companion seemed to register this shift.

"Whats going through your mind bartender?" The ginger asked interrupting his thoughts. Dick picked at a bit of tomato on his plate as he thought of something to say.

"Just… thinking…" he replied lamely.

A stiff silence was threatening to descend between them but the ginger girl jumped in before that happened. "Okay wanna try something?"

The raven locks boy nodded his head slowly. Interested but cautious, not sure what she was about to say. "I'm curious about you. You… have conflicted feeling towards me so I propose a game."

She held up her hands halting Dick from asking anything, obviously wanting to say all this before Dick could interrupt. "Lets play ten questions. Rules. You have to answer truthfully, but you can be as vague or as descriptive as you want. You only get ten questions each, so twenty in total. Afterwards we shake hands and walk away. No obligations and no regrets."

She waited a beat, then held out her hand, "Deal?" Dick didn't really have to think about it. It was a good proposition. He shook her hand but added, "You have to ask first."

"Okay, first one…" Dick didn't mean to but he held his breath slightly. He tried to rationalise… it didn't matter what she asked, he could have a vague as he wanted but he had no idea what sort of curve ball this girl would throw at him.

"How old are you?"

Dick blinked, there was silence for a few seconds until he burst out laughing. "Thats what you want to ask me?"

"Umm yeah… I'm easing into this." Missy said with a smirk emerging, "By the way you asked a question so thats your first one gone"

Dick opened his mouth in objection but she quickly interrupted, "No take backs" she grinned.

"Come on just one, I was not prepared for such a…. normal question." Dick registered he sounded like a whiny kid but this was the most he felt like himself in ages.

"Ouch Barkeep… I don't know if I should be insulted or not." She said with the over dramatic gesture of placing her hand over her heart. Her smirk stayed present though. "But as penalty for that question not to count." She leaned across the table until her nose was almost touching Dick's, and then she softly whispered, "I get your burger."

She grabbed Dick's untouched burger and took a bite out of it before settling down. Dick ran a hand though his air, trying to push back the thought of what he though she was going to ask. Making eye contact again the girl now eating his burger, winked at him.

"So…. how old are you?" She prompted.

"I'm 18."

"Then how are you working at a bar?" She quickly asked.

"This is Bludhaven, you just need something that look like an ID to pass around here." She nodded in understanding. "So what about you? How old are you? " Dick asked

"Not a very original question is it" she quipped back taking the piss out of Dick a little, which only made Dick's eyebrow raise. "But if you want to be so… normal. I'm 19.

She took another bite of the burger and thought for a bit. When her gaze lingered on her burger for a bit before taking her next bite a thought seemed to come to her. "Since you obviously don't like your burger, whats your favourite food?"

"Cereal" he said quickly. Then asked, "Whats a British 19 year old doing in America?"

She grabbed a napkin to clean of her greasy hands having had finished the burger. ' _Damn she ate fast'_ Dick thought.

"Caught on to the British thing huh… well I was going to university. Got a scholarship and everything but after a month or so I realised I was in the wrong place for me so I decided to drop out, travel the world and pursue my real passion."

"Whats your real passion?" Dick quickly asked wanting to know more and not particularly wanting to talk about himself just yet.

"Tattooing." She answered honestly. Dick didn't think she was going to elaborate more but he was proven wrong. "I've always been a doodler since I was young. Got me into trouble because I never paid attention in class, but my sister said why not make your hobby into a job. Wanted to tattoo ever since."

The grey eyed girl looked down at her tattoo sleeve and was rubbing her fingers in circles over the graphic designs. Her energy seemed to drop as her gaze lingered and focused on the intricate designs decorating her arm. Dick was about to ask another question but was stopped.

"Arh arh my turn now… why is cereal your favourite meal? Because thats the first time I've heard someone to claim it as their last meal on earth food." She faintly smiled.

Dick thought for a minute. He was going to give a vague answer, but this person in front of him seemed to be so honest and open Dick wanted to _relax_ that. So he gave the real reason, "My… my adoptive dad was a horrible cook. Like so bad he burnt water, so when he was left to his own devices he would make me a bowl of cereal no matter what mealtime, cause it was just pour cereal and add milk."

Soft grey eyes met clear blue and somehow it was a scary and a comfortable moment. Comfortable because something just felt so right being honest with a this person and scary cause he had never done anything like this before. Well, not for a long time. Just two people having an open, honest conversation.

It was Dick's question now. "What do your tattoos mean to you?"

Grey eyes shifted and looked down at her arm again. She slowly brought up her arm and rested it on the table for Dick to see. He slowly and gently placed his hands on her wrist and elbow and looked closely at the tattoos.

They weren't pictures or images but more resembled a henna style pattern. It started at her wrist and roughly ended at her elbow. It was black and white with a little shading. It consisted mostly of circles and geometric patterns that were simple but bold creating an overall intricate design. It was beautiful work.

"It was just something I drew and it looked good. It was more getting the tattoo that meant something." Dick didn't really believe that was the whole reason and story behind the tattoo, but Missy seemed to have closed up having had talked about it. Looking at the tattoo it was simple but beautifully done. He turned her arm over so he could look at the whole of it.

Dick hadn't realised how long he had been staring at it until it was suddenly pulled away from him and Dick was sad at the loss of contact. He didn't realise how much he missed skin to skin contact.

Looking up he watched as the girl in front of him ran a hand through her hair to tuck her it behind her ear. It seemed more out of nervous habit then anything else.

Not wanting her to be anymore uncomfortable Dick softly said, "Your turn." Letting her take control of the situation, hoping that might help her a bit after what had obviously been vulnerable moment for her.

She looked up and softly smiled but it quickly slipped from her face. She lowered her eyes in concentration and started to bite her nail. It seemed he had hit a deeper cord with her asking about the tattoos then he had meant it to be.

"What's your favourite animal?"

Dick leaned back against his chair. They had gone into safe territory again, but that was okay.

"I've always loved elephants since I was a kid. Probably cause my first toy was an elephant." Dick replied with ease. It wasn't a huge secret or anything, so it was easy to talk about.

"What was your toys name?" She continued on, obviously not wanting to talk about herself just yet. This game was proving to be intimate and rattling at the same time. Dick wasn't really sure what his feelings were. Would he walk away from this with regret or longing for more?

"Zikita. My cousin named it when I was a kid after an elephant we knew." Dick smiled at he memory. Without meaning to he continued on, "Turns out I became best friends with the elephant. I was the only one who could calm her down when there was a storm."

Dick suddenly realised he was talking to himself more then to her. Looking across the table he could see that the red headed girl was a bit confused by the out of context story. Dick bit into the bottom of his lip. _'Should he tell her anymore?'._ He was revealing more about his past then he meant to. And to a complete stranger no less. He had no clue what this girls real intentions where… but somehow this felt almost… therapeutic. It was nice to talk about the good times instead of just being consumed by the bad, so he continued on.

"I grew up in a circus with my parents. I did an act with my family there but the whole circus became this weird large family after a while."

Dick waited for a moment. Wondering if she was going to ask another question. An obvious question would be, to ask about his family. Dick had already mentioned an adoptive father so it wasn't had to put two and two together. And from what Dick had seen this girl was observant.

So when she made no move to talk, soft grey eyes burring into his own, Dick spoke, making sure not to phase it as a question."You can ask if you want."

The ginger cocked her head to the side. She looked like an animal studying him out of curiosity. But then she straightened her head and Dick hadn't yet realised he was holding his breath.

"I'm not going to ask. To be honest, I don't want to know the answer so I won't ask the question, but it's not hard to connect the dots."

Dick let go of his breath. He wasn't sure about why he was nervous about her asking about his family, he had pretty much pointed her in that direction. But it felt nice that she didn't want to pry. She seemed to understand that.

She leant forward and tok his hand in hers, "But from what I can gather about you… I'm sorry about what happened, you didn't deserve that."

"Bad things happen, right?" Dick commented and he seemed to recognise the look on her face. He had seen it on his own.

"Exactly Bartender" she commented softly. Dick was suddenly very sure that ginger's tattoo was more about a loss she had suffered then just being a cool doodle she had drawn.

Dick suddenly knew what his next question would be. "Okay so since finding out each others names did not go well, what is your nickname?"

There was a moment of silence until the ginger burst out laughing with the biggest stupidest grin on her face. _God, she looked stunning._

"I like your logic Bartender." Dick wasn't sure if he imagined it but he was pretty sure she had winked at him. It had the blood rush to his cheeks for the second time that night.

Just as she was about to talk through her giggles again the grumpy waitress from before came back over. While stacking up the plates she said in the same monotone voice as before, "I'll get you your bill now." It was clear she wanted to get rid of the few of the lingering customers.

But Dick did not want to move anytime soon. "Sorry, actually can we get two more chocolate milkshakes and a piece of apple pie to share." Damn if looks could kill, Dick would have dropped dead.

Dick hunched into himself a bit, making himself look like a wounded puppy. The waitress just rolled her eyes and stomped off with their empty dishes.

After she had stomped back into the kitchen the dark haired boy turned his attention back to the girl sitting opposite. Who was trying and failing to control her giggles behind her hand. Dick could help but laugh with her. There was something infectious about her. What ever mood she was in you seemed to reflect it.

"Missy" She said between giggles.

Dick scrunched up his face in confusion. "What?"

The red head took some deep controlled breaths and once her face wasn't as red, she repeated herself. "Missy. Thats my nickname."

Dick looked her up and down and couldn't help but think her nickname suited her more then any other name could.

Dick held out his hand, "Nice to meet you Missy,". Missy took his hand, "Good to meet you too…"

She waited for a second, giving him a chance to fill in the blank she was leaving open for him. But Dick's mind suddenly went blank.

 _'_ _Crap,'_ he hadn't thought of a nickname. He did have a nickname but no one had uttered it for three years. But looking at her pale pink lips, nothing seemed better then having them say it.

"Dick."

Missy raised both eyebrows and Dick could have sworn if she was drinking water she would have sprayed it out.

"Thats my nickname, Dick."

"Hope that name wasn't deserved" she quipped.

"Naw I just like seeing peoples reactions."

"I guess that's one kind of ice breaker." They smiled at each other. Dick swore this was the most perfect moment he had in years. Well, that was until a waitress slapped down there orders

Dick handed Missy a fork and she gladly excepted and took a piece of the apple pie. Dick copied her. They ate for a bit until Missy spoke again. "Okay this is my conversation starter, plus my next question." She commented after a slup of her drink. "But I want a completely honest answer." Her face going completely straight and serious.

"Ninjas or Pirates?"

"What?"

"Ninjas or Pirates what would you choose to be?"

Dick grinned. "Ninja. Definitely ninja. Who would choose pirate?"

"I know right! Only idiots."

"Cats or dogs" Dick asked

"Dogs all the way.." Missy grinned, she finished off the last bit of crust on the pie and took a long drink from her milkshake. Once she was satisfied it was empty she put the glass back down and stretched in her seat looking immensely happy.

"Favourite song?" she asked lazily.

"Don't have one." he replied

Missy mouth dropped open. "Okay hermit. I'll have to change that immediately." Dick smiled and on impulse he gently picked up one of her delicate hands and lifted it to his lips, softly kissing it. "I look forward to it Missy."

Dick knew it was a completely cheesy move that belonged in badly written romantic novels but he didn't care. Her lightly blushing cheeks was worth it.

They stayed like that for a moment. Eyes gazing into one another and hand in hand. Dick slowly leaned back but kept hold of her hand.

"What's your favourite song?" he said, his thumb slowing circling a section of her hand, but eyes never leaving her face, not that she seemed to mind.

"Hard question but… Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls." Dick let his mind try and locate the song but he had never head of it. Missy must of seen this from his facial expression.

"The only popular song by them but a classic band. Really, I only know the song because it was in my favourite childhood movie, Treasure Planet."

"Why did you love that movie?" Dick queried further.

"Cause it's a great tale. Rebellious teenager who gets into trouble. Stumbles onto the possibility of a better life and goes seeking adventure from it. Not much not to love."

Dick thought about it and wondered how much of it related to this girl in front of him. This smart, sexy, quick witted girl.

"So what about you Dicky… what's your favourite childhood tale" she asked curiously. Her hand still resting in his.

Dick thought for a moment but it didn't take long for an answer to present itself in his mind. "You won't know it but…. my… my uncle used to tell me the heroic tales of Flamebird and Nightwing. Two vigilantes that fought for those who couldn't and soon became recognised heroes, thanked and appreciated for their brave endeavours. I used to fall asleep listening to those stories."

Dick smiled at the memory, of when Uncle Clark used to babysit him and tell him of the krytonion vigilantes. He never had nightmares those nights. He was brought out of his thoughts when another hand laid on top of his.

"Do you miss your family?"

Without hesitation Dick replied, "Every day,"

Dick looked into her eyes and saw an emotion that he recognised. "Do you miss your family?" he asked.

She looked back into his eyes, he felt her hesitate and her breathing hitch, but then she replied, "I only really have one family member. And yeah… I miss her everyday."

"Well, Dick it seems you have one more question left. Make sure it's a good one."

Dick was sad to realise this little game they were playing was about to be over. He didn't want to be out of this girl's presence. He felt happy, and maybe this was the sort of vulnerability that was good for him.

"Can I see you again?" he asked nervously.

Missy smiled a crooked smile, seeming to like his question, "Can I have your phone?" she asked. The raven haired boy handed it over without a second thought. After a quick few taps Missy gave it back, "I guess its up to you now Bartender."

Dick looked down and saw the new contact she had added in. He couldn't help but smile. However then Dick noticed how quiet the diner was. Quickly looking around he realised that the few strays that were also in the diner had left and now their table had the sole attention of the death glare from the waitress on them. Missy noticed this as well.

"I think we should go" Dick suggested and Missy eagerly nodded her head.

They both tossed a few notes down and quickly made their way to the door, both stopping on the curb underneath the lamp light.

"Well, I guess this is it for tonight" Missy said turning to Dick.

"Well, I promised to walk you home."

"Well, maybe I don't want a stalker" Missy retorted back.

"Well, maybe you don't have a choice."

"Wow we really need to stop with this whole 'well' thing, its pretty annoying," Missy said this with a grin in all good humour.

"I think you started it." Dick replied back with the same grin Missy had on her face and only now had Dick realised how close they had gotten to each other. Dick's breathing slightly hitched and there was a slight flutter in his stomach.

He stared into grey eyes, "Maybe I won't let you follow me home?" Missy whispered.

"Maybe I want to make sure you're okay. You've had a hard evening." Dick said with honesty and it scared him how much concern he had for the ginger already.

"Bad things happen," she repeated what Dick had said early on this night but added, "But it's up to you how much it effects you."

"I think I'll still walk you home just to make sure you're okay."

Missy moved closer to Dick and tilted her head up. Suddenly any coherent thought had left Dick's head. She whispered into his ear, "Don't wait too long to use that number Bartender."

After that soft lips were suddenly on his. Dick hesitantly leaned into the kiss, it feeling odd but good at the same time. It was over all too quickly for Dick's liking and when Dick open his eyes Missy had vanished. She was not in front of him or on even on the street. She had disappeared.

"Guess thats what it feels like."

* * *

 _A.N. So... I'm back!_

 _I can't apologise enough for the long absence and I can only thank you for your patience. I've been away for longer then I originally intended and have only been able to start posting again. Thanks for your patience and hope you enjoy continuing to read this story. Don't worry I have no intentions on giving up on this fanfic and I am determined to finish it!_

 _As a heads up these next few chapters I'm gonna be working on how Dick is getting past his trauma, This is a Nightwing becoming story so don't worry we are getting there, but it didn't feel right to not deal with the trauma that Dick has now and everything else that makes him a little messed up._

 _Let me know what you think and thanks for those of you that commented recently these past few days. It really pushed me to get this chapter out as soon as I could._

 _Until next time xxx_


	33. Help?

**Chapter 33: Help?**

* * *

 _He couldn't breathe. He resisted opening his lips for as long as he could. But soon the temptation was too much._

 _But instead of clean, crisp air it was cold, harsh water. Filling his mouth and then his lungs. Drowning and killing him._

 _His arms strained and struggled. His body fighting for a way to survive, but the duck-tape wrapped around his arms made them useless and the iron grip on his neck kept him in place._

 _The blue eyed boy's attempts at freedom slowly grew weaker and weaker, blackness slowing fading in and his last thought, him wishing that would be the end. That would be that._

 _However his so-called Master would never be so kind._

 _The boy was suddenly pulled out of the water and he landed awkwardly on his back. His lungs gasping for air that was suddenly overwhelming his body causing him to coughed and heave. Throat dry and scratchy, body heavy and weak. It took several moments of sucking in air to dwindle down the violent coughs into rapid breaths then into laboured breathing._

 _"_ _What do you have to say for yourself Richard?"_

 _Dick's eyes snapped open, glaring at the orange and black looming figure, "Don't call me that," he said through heavy breaths, his throat killing from the simply act of speaking._

 _"_ _But thats your name my Apprentice. Richard."_

 _Every part of Dick's skin crawled in hatred. From the man in front of him but more so from the sound of his own name. His parents mainly called him Robin or Dick. Richard was only used in moments of anger or formality which where far and few. But when Bruce took him in, Richard became a name used in times of formality but more significantly times of emotion. Alfred used his name all the time no matter how many times Dick tried to persuade him otherwise. But Slade had now twisted it into a name he hated. Apprentice and Richard was the only words Slade used to address him, and now Dick couldn't stand the sound of his own name because it meant pain, humiliation and one of the many things Slade had done to Dick. He made him hate his own name._

 _"_ _Now Richard…" he emphasised the name, "I believe you need to apologise for your previous actions."_

 _Dick gritted his teeth, glaring up at his tormentor. "Bite me" he croaked._

 _Slade just rolled his eyes at his apprentices childish antics. He picked him up by his neck, but before plunging his head under the ice cold water again he said, "One day Richard you will realise all this pain was self inflicted". Then shoved the smaller boy's head under water, easily subduing the feeble attempts of freedom._

 _"_ _Don't worry Richard, you will soon have a name that is more befitting to your station."_

* * *

Dick woke up gasping from his nightmare. Bolting up right. His mind on red alert while his eyes were still tired and protested at being open, but it was unlikely Dick was going to find any peace tonight.

His heart was racing, blood rushing and head throbbing. His muscles tense and refusing to relax. Dick looked at his clock. It was three in the morning, he didn't have a shift at the bar this night so was forced to go to sleep earlier then he normally did. The normal time being around six in the morning.

Dick felt his mind panicking from the memory. He rolled himself out of bed and into the shower, turning the heat onto full blast. This had become his ritual after a nightmare. Which was everyday.

Scream himself awake, shower and let the heat and water rush over him, get dressed and then somehow try and stumble his way through the day.

However Dick could feel his muscles shake in the shower from exhaustion. He had barely gotten 7 hours of sleep this past week. His body needed rest; too bad his mind never wanted him to.

Trying to co-ordinate heavy limbs he haphazardly climbed out of the shower. He groaned in frustration when he saw it was only three o'clock in the morning. He looked between the bed and the kitchen. His body screaming for sleep. His mind screaming for coffee. His heart screaming for the meditating pain of self harm. Dick's hand ghosted over the cut in his arm. Fingers ready to pull out the stitching.

But then his eyes caught a hold of something and something new was now added to the equation. For the first time another option can to Dick's mind, as his heart screamed for something else. Dick walked over to his bed and unlocked his phone clicking the only number he ever really used on it.

There was a ringing and then silence. "Are you asleep?" Dick tentatively asked when he heard no answer.

"I was…" a light voice grumbled, "…now I'm having a nightmare."

Dick couldn't help but a faint, brief smile at Missy's reply.

"Dick it's…" the sound of scrapping and shuffling could be heard through the line, "…bloody hell… three in the morning and some of us don't wake up beautiful… some of us need our beauty sleep."

"I'm sorry…. I… I just…" Dick stuttered out quietly feeling guilty for having woken her up now. It had seemed like a good idea but now Dick just felt selfish.

Hearing his voice though seemed to have snapped Missy out of her grumpy mood, "Dick whats wrong?" she asked, concern filling her voice.

"I… I…I'm not…I don't… want to say."

A silence fell down the line.

"A guy fell over today…" Missy started to say when it was clear Dick had lost his voice for the moment, fear paralysing his tongue "I went to a spin class and I failed miserably at it and as I was about to collapse, I kid you not, the guy next to me fell of his bike and on to the floor…and I wore a shit eating grin while it happened because it wasn't me."

Dick found a small smile on his face from Missy's anecdote, more infected by her joy telling the story then the story itself.

"This poor guy tried to brush it off like he was just picking up something from the ground but it was so clear it wasn't true. I don't think he'll be returning to that gym any time soon."

The smile on Dick's face widened as he heard Missy laugh at her own story. "What were you doing at a gym?" Dick asked, though Missy was adventurous she did not seem like the type to willingly go to the gym. Her adventures consisted more doing something rebellious and then hopping into a taxi.

Missy laughed and it was the kind that meant she would have lightly punched Dick's arm for his teasing if they had been together. "Obviously I was there to watch people fall off bikes," she cheekily responded.

They continued to exchange a few light hearted words. They hadn't seen each other the other day so they swapped stories over the phone at three o'clock in the morning, but soon enough a silence fell when there was nothing to talk about and the only thing that remained was the elephant in the room.

"I had a nightmare… but it wasn't really a nightmare it was a memory. "Dick waited for a response to his sudden blurting.

"What happened?" Missy asked. It was weird, when Missy asked about Dick's past it didn't sound or feel like she was prying into his life or wanting to find out all his secrets. When she asked it felt like she was asking only to help Dick work through it.

She didn't know a lot about Dick's life. She knew about his circus days because those where old wounds for Dick and no longer hurt that much, so it was easier to talk about then other things.

By Missy's own detective work from the pieces of information Dick had given her she had connected the dots that something had happened to his biological family and he had been adopted. She also gathered something had happened with his adopted family and Dick then went onto an abusive home afterwards.

Dick soon learnt that Missy was great with puzzles. Connecting little pieces together to create a whole image, however she knew that she had barely uncovered enough puzzle pieces to really understand everything about Dick. What she was sure on though was who he was now, and Missy liked that person.

So she waited and gave Dick the time he needed to talk, because thats what you do for the people you cared about, you listened and supported them.

"My… mentor… well he was never my mentor he was…"

"Asshole, douche bag, prick, twat, bag of feces? Getting close?" Missy supplied the names easily for Dick when he couldn't seem to find the words.

"Yeah something along those lines" Dick slightly smile back, but it wasn't care free like before. It had a tension to it. "Well, he did some really horrible things. He made me feel… less."

There was a silence and Dick felt like he was holding his breath waiting for Missy's reply. "I think the words I supplied you with where far too kind then." She said it as a joke but Dick could hear she meant every word.

"Yeah…" he agreed with her, but in a weak voice.

"You shouldn't you know" Missy said.

"Shouldn't what?"

"You shouldn't hate yourself."

"I never said I did" Dick said back but he knew he did hate himself. Self loathing had been ingrained within himself for too long to simply disappear. Missy seemed to recognise this, "I think we both know that was a lie."

"You have no idea of the things I've done." Dick whispered so softly he thought Missy had missed it, but she didn't.

Missy stopped him from continuing on his rambling, "You have no idea of the things I've done. But we shouldn't care about that because chances are we are no longer those people."

"What if I am?"

"You're not. When shit happens to you, you rarely stay the same and the guy I know, the guy I'm talking to at three o'clock in the bloody morning, is a good guy"

The blue eyed boy leaned his head back down against his pillow, sinking into the softness of it, thinking over the words. "I just feel broken. I don't feel whole."

Dick could hear Missy's lips smacking, something she did when she was thinking. "We're all broken Dick" she said with a hollow laugh, "Its just do you let that define you?"

"I don't think I can ever go back to what I was."

"Don't because you can't" Missy said honestly, "But don't let that fact stop you from trying to be better" She paused for minute as if she wasn't sure if she wanted to say what she said next.

"We don't break in a single second Dick. We break over a series of events, but in a single moment, we realise how broken we truly are. But its never too late to change. To start doing better."

Dick let the words sink in and something seemed to resonate. Dick knew there was a reason he had called Missy.

"Ever consider going into therapy Missy?" he asked to which he heard her laugh. A true laugh.

"No way, I'm way too opinionated for that. And I'll probably drive more people to drink."

"Yourself too" Dick added with good humour.

They fell into banter and light conversation but most of their energy had been drained out of them from the heavy conversation they had had but Dick didn't feel like he could go to sleep yet.

But Missy always seemed to be the perceptive one.

"Hey I want you to listen to something" she said.

"What?" Dick's curiosity peeked. He heard a few taps of buttons and then a gentle melody began to play.

"You're new favourite song".

Dick listened to the first few cords that were soon accompanied by lyrics.

He leaned back onto his pillows, letting his mind get swept away and lost in the calming melody. Soon his eyelids dropped, Dick was intending just to rest his eyes closed but soon, without realising it, he was asleep.

The first peaceful, blank sleep he had had in a while.

* * *

Dick was surprised when he was woken up by knocking. His foggy brain didn't quite register what the sound was at first. It first sounded faint and maybe imaginary to his sleepy mind.

But when he rolled over in his bed and blinked until he could see the digits of his alarm clock he was more alarmed to see it was nearly 4 o'clock in the afternoon. He had been asleep for almost 8 hours straight. That never happened.

He pulled himself out of bed and stumbled his way to the front door where the continuos knocking was coming from. Upon finally opening the door he discovered a smiling ginger with bags in hand.

"Morning sleeping beauty" Missy grinned while waltzing in without an invitation. Not that she needed it. She had crashed many nights on the couch here when she was too tired to go back to her own place. Dick tried to make her sleep on his bed and he on the couch but she wasn't having any of it.

Dick's apartment was opened planned with the exception of the bedroom. The kitchen and living room where one open room with a counter dividing them, and through the other door in the apartment was a small bedroom that barely contained a bed and chest of draws with the bathroom adjacent.

Missy had dumped the bags she had brought and looked at Dick, grin still on her face. "Did you just wake up?" She said smugly already knowing the answer. Dick gave a nod.

"Ha!" Missy said as her fist pumping the air in self-congratulation, "I knew I would find it."

"And what was it you found?" Dick asked, brain still confused and still trying to wake its self up.

"You're new favourite song that lulled you into a blissful sleep."

Dick smiled at how proud Missy seemed to be with her herself and couldn't deny he had liked the song last night. He didn't even remember falling asleep. "What was that song?"

Missy waved her hand in the air, "I'll send you everything you need to know" and started to unload the bags, "So I got you bacon, fruit, bread and milk."

"And who says I need any of that?" Dick asked, eyebrow now quirked up.

Missy started to walk backwards towards Dick's fridge, "Because if I've learnt anything about you Bartender, its that you don't take care of yourself very well."

She tilted her head, daring Dick to challenge her claim. When he started to open his mouth to protest she quickly opened up the fridge, "Well look at that, you have eggs."

"To make scrambled egg," Dick replied in his defence, slowly making his way over to her.

She nodded her head and looked back into the fridge, "And… lets see what else is in here…well there are eggs."

"To make fried eggs." Dick, a teasing tone slowly growing in his voice.

Missy nodded like it was a valid point and again looked back into the very empty fridge. "And… egg again." Missy commented.

"To make omelettes." Dick said now very close to where Missy was standing.

"Pretty boring omelettes if you ask me…" Missy commented back, the tease obvious, "And finally last but definitely not least, what do we have here? An egg"

Dick nodded now sharing the view by Missy's side looking into a very depressing fridge were only a carton of eggs lay, "To make hard boiled eggs." Dick commented back.

"So you can make any food that is solely egg related?" Missy asked, flipping her ginger hair over her shoulder.

Dick grinned down at her, "Eggs-actly".

Missy eyes widened and she turned so she was fully facing dick, closing the fridge door behind her, "Did you just make a terrible pun?"

"That, my dear ginger friend, was a classic pun."

"I didn't know you had it in you Bartender, you're always surprising me." Missy smirked and Dick had only realised how close they really were. And he didn't feel awkward for only just having rolled out of bed and probably having morning breath. He didn't care the Missy had a thick scarf wound around her neck making her look a little like a toddler that a mom had sent out on a cold day. He felt comfortable having her there. He felt happy.

He was only disappointed when she moved away to unpack the groceries she had brought.

Dick helped her after the disappointment of loss of contact passed. They quickly made a very late breakfast and ate at the kitchen table. Missy was talking about some story that had happened at the tattoo parlour that she worked at. But the words that she spoke never really settled in Dick's head. He was too absorbed with how this ginger woman in front of him just seemed to radiate happiness.

Dick had seen Missy shaken up, slightly nervous or awkward, grumpy for sure - Missy was not a morning person - but she was never far from a smile or a cheesy distraction tale.

Dick loved this about her, but a part of him couldn't help but be jealous. He used to be like that, but he had lost that innocence a long time ago. But he so wanted to get back to that person he was and who this girl in front of him was. But its hard to retrace your steps into the past.

"How are you so happy?" Dick suddenly blurted out interrupting Missy's tale. Not that she seemed to mind, but her forehead creased in confusion at the impromptu question.

The blue eyed boy blushed while elaborating. "You're always so happy. Nothing ever seems to bother you. I'm just wondering how you do it."

Missy shuffled her fork and knife on her plate as she thought. "Its kind of hard to explain. I mean it took me a while to just be happy with myself. Who I am and what I want but…."

Missy stood up and held out her hand for Dick, "It'll be easier to show you." Dick followed her to his window and only dropped her hand when she started to open his window and then climbed out onto his fire escape.

She started to climb up and he followed closely behind, making sure she didn't fall down or slip. However he was confused why they were even going to his roof.

Once they got to the top Missy walked to the side and looked out across the Bludhaven rooftops. Dick's building wasn't extremely tall but it was tall enough that you got a good view of the city.

The sun was starting to lower in the sky creating long shadows but it still shined bright enough to see most of the city. Dick walked up beside Missy, enjoying the view and watching it with her. They stood very close to the edge of the building, close enough that you could have easily fallen off if you weren't paying attention. There wasn't much of a protective barrier to stop any one from falling.

"Secret" Missy said.

Dick nodded his head waiting to see what she was about to say. "I'm terrified of heights."

Dick now seemed to realise how this current position they were standing in might be scary for someone. This type of height never even fazed him. Dick was about to ask what they were doing up here if she was terrified of heights but she held up her hand to stop him, but still didn't meet his gaze. Keeping her eyes on the horizon.

She waited a moment before continuing, "But sometimes in these moments when I feel scared… thats when I feel most alive."

"I've been through somethings and I lost my way for a while. Shutting off and doing things just to please others and it all led me to a moment like this. When I just wanted to take another step."

It quickly clicked to Dick what Missy was hinting at and he knew this was going to be more of a serious moment then he realised. But Missy didn't make it sound like a dark buried secret that she was ashamed off. She was just telling it like it was, with a light heartedness that made Dick believe she had worked through her demons.

"But in that moment, I suddenly didn't feel calm about my decision. I felt terrified… and alive and thats when I realised something."

Missy turned to Dick, gaze locking onto him. Her eyes warm and showing a fire that Dick had only caught glimpses of in passing. But now it seemed to be a full burning flame.

"Having fear is good. It shows you where the line is and it stopped me from doing something I couldn't come back from. But everything that pushed me to that point… I was scared of moving on, I was scared to care about anything that really mattered, I was scared of letting go. So content just to live in my comfort zone it made me feel like I wasn't living at all and thats when I thought…"

Missy licked her lips, her eyes flicking upwards for a moment before landing back on her companion. "…If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try. I was scared to pursue the career I wanted, I was scared leaving what I knew and coming to a country I've never been to. But each one of those decisions has made me feel alive and happy. They help me to enjoy every moment and live for me."

"That's my secret. So… what are you scared off Dick?"

The blue eyed boy felt the words swarm around him and settle in his head. It felt like they had settled in his bones they were so heavy. Not in discomfort but because they brought about a new realisation for him. A small step in the right direction.

It wasn't the time to be conquering huge fears. They were too big and scary and Dick was still so broken. But thinking of the fleeting touches and a light embraces these past weeks were brought to the forefront of Dicks mind. He had wanted to do something but he had been too cowardly to even attempt it.

So in a second of bravery, Dick slipped his hand along Missy's cheek and brought her close for a kiss.

In that passing moment Dick knew that what Missy had just been talking about was true and maybe it was okay to pursue that things that made him happy. That made him feel alive.

* * *

 _'_ _I'll be there in five'_

Dick glanced down at his phone and couldn't help the stupid grin that came across his face. It happened every time he got a text from Missy, heard her voice, saw her. Most people would try to act cool but Dick loved how happy he was and he was happy to show it.

After the events on the rooftop the relationship between Missy and Dick changed, but at the same time nothing seemed different. Their relationship always seemed intimate from the first go. Missy has a way of breaking down Dick's protective walls, but Dick guessed thats why they worked so well.

To other people trying to guess what Dick was thinking was like trying to read a book in a different language, but for what ever reason the ginger Dick had grown so close to, seemed to be a fluent.

And every time Missy got Dick to drop another defence, peel back another layer of this mysterious boy she had met in a dark alley, Missy felt more drawn and in awe of him.

Dick was currently in the back room of the club he worked at getting more glasses to bring up front. Turns out Dick didn't have to work tonight because the manager wanted to give a training day to the new girl…. _Lucy? Lydia? Lucinda?_ Dick wasn't sure. So he was helping setting up but then was gonna take Missy out for dinner since she was done at the tattoo parlour for the day.

The blue eyed boy started to make his way back to the front when he overheard the voices of Brad and Lucas, his co-workers, talking to the new girl.

"Grumpy cat? Oh don't worry about talking to him. Thinks he's too good to talk to anyone."

"Yeah likes to try and lord over us. None of us are good enough to be in his presence for more then two seconds."

"Naw, you hear? He's got a girlfriend"

"What that ginger chick? Man probably a hoe. Only way that foreigner could get some action like that."

"What cha talking about Brad?"

"Didn't you hear him talking to some gypsies the other day. Clicking and clucking away in what ever garbage language. Probably a criminal that ran away to our country for protection."

Dick's blood rushed through his veins as his co-workers started chuckling, thinking what they had just said was hilarious. The other day Dick had been talking Romi to some people who were travelling through and that spoke it too. It felt good at the time. Missy had really brought Dick out of his shell and he had started to interact more with others again. But hearing what his co-workers were saying made him want to close up again. Hide and not be seen. Disappears.

He got along with most of his co-workers, all of the girls just took him as the quiet, shy, brooding type and he got along with Sam who was a bit of a geek but Dick thought he was just happy to talk to someone who didn't tell him to shut up.

Dick entered the room and now he could see the snickering pair and the new girl just looking awkward and wanting to leave. The blue eyed boy felt a bit sorry for her.

The other men saw that Dick had entered the room and knew he probably heard every word they had said. It didn't seem to deter the laughs or self important grins though. They seemed pleased with themselves and in no mood to stop.

"Yeah bloody immigrants coming in, taking our jobs, making us pay more tax while they dodge it, its probably why crimes on the rise again with all the drugs they're bringing in." Brad continued saying this with a stupid smirk on his face as he took another swig from the beer he was drinking. Most likely stolen from the inventory.

Lucas seemed content to also continue even with Dick in the room, "Yeah, well they are less evolved then us. I mean have you seen where they come from? Man, I would hop on a paddle boat and get myself here too if I had to live like them."

Dick walked passed them, ignoring what they were saying. He knew they just wanted to get a rise out of him, so he just shut down and started to unload the glasses he had gotten.

The new girl sat rigidly on her stool not really sure what to do with this whole situation. The two idiots weren't happy about getting no response so they tried kicking it up a notch.

"Fucking pikeys. Probably a good thing that nazi dude wiped out most of their disgusting kind, too bad he didn't win so he could finish the job."

Dick had to grab the side to keep himself from spinning around and decking this guy. Brad seemed to get more angry that he couldn't provoke Dick to do something. He took another swig of his beer and placed the glass bottle down on the side of the bar.

Lucas commented back but his gaze was on Dick, "You're right, he should have exterminated them all."

"Yeah I mean without them it wouldn't highlight what mutton heads you two are." A light breezy voice said and Dick knew it from anywhere. He turned around to see his favourite ginger by the door.

He had no clue how much she had heard, but he knew that look in her eye and didn't even doubt that she wasn't going to stay quiet.

Both Brad's and Lucas's eyes snapped towards here feeling panicked for a second by the new voice. Missy pushed off from the wall and walked closer.

"I mean if that nazi dude had just killed off everyone this world would be a peaceful and kind place" Missy carried on talking, her voice dripping with heavy sarcasm.

"Who the…" Brad started but was calmly over talked by Missy, shutting him up.

"And anyway, it's not like this country is made up of foreigners who all immigrated here or…" she suddenly tilted her head to the side and played with a strand of hair, acting like a dumb bimbo who couldn't spell orange instead of the intelligent women she really was. Her eyes sharpened in focus "… Oh, wait."

Missy looked at them with a fiery gaze that just showed how angry she was. "But you're right, mass genocide is always the best option for solving problems, right?"

Before either of them could respond Missy turned away from them and towards the girl who was still sitting nervously, "Hi I'm Missy, whats your name?" The ginger held out her hand and had a warm smile on her face suddenly eradicating the fury that was just there moments before.

The other girl mumbled, "Lily" not really sure what to make of this girl.

"Told you she was a gay hoe" Brad muttered but Missy heard every word.

"And you just confirmed you're an empty headed boy who can't take on a fight face to face," she sang over her shoulder.

Brad got red faced from anger, "Want to say that again."

"Sorry" Missy quickly said to Lily and turned to face Brad, smile still on her face, "You just confirmed you're an empty headed boy who can't take on a fight face to face." She repeated

Brad started to stuttered out a few words, surprised this girl was taking him on instead of being scared but Missy was more them happy to humiliate him.

"And whats wrong with being gay by the way?" she asked but then carried it on showing it was a rhetorical question, " But for the record I'm straighter then the pole your mum dances on for a living."

Missy had a huge grin on her face at the open mouthed look on Brad's face. She was so proud of her comment she turned around and went or a celebratory high five with Lucy, but the girl was still frozen in shock with the situation she was in. Missy looking a bit ridiculous with her hand just hanging in the air but she just ended up high fiving her self not caring how stupid she looked.

She turned back to Brad who still had that dumb expression on his face. This caused Missy to pause and rethink her words, "Sorry that was rude," she said sincerely and Dick thought for a moment she was going to try and improve the situation until she said, "I bet your mother is an amazing woman who has the patience of the saint because she has a dumb-as-mud son like you."

Missy smiled again and was about to move away when Brad seemed to finally find his tongue.

"Fucking bitc…"

Missy turned back around, "So the joke does speak." Missy took a step forward, squaring up to her opponent and somehow managed to look intimidating even though she was going against someone taller and bigger then her. "I thought we lost you there buddy. I'll try to use smaller words in the future."

There was that stupid open fish mouth look Brad had on his face again, but his buddy Lucas stepped forward to cover for his friend's lack of words. "Listen you…"

Missy shut him down straight away, "Why don't you listen, shut up and educate yourselves before someone finally shows you your place."

Lucas stepped forward, getting his face into Missy's trying to make her back down. His fists clenched by his sides and breathing heavy. Missy wasn't about to back down though. "What?" Missy quietly said, all humour gone from her voice,

"You going to hit me? That's how you're going to prove you're the big man here. Hitting a small, defenceless girl because your too dumb to use big words?" Missy said calling his bluff.

"Well, better make it a good punch." Missy dared him and it seemed like he was tempted to until Missy said, "Just make sure you look pretty for the cameras in this room".

Lucas suddenly froze having forgotten about the security cameras in the bar.

"Because I'm gonna make it sure that you hit first so its clear who was attacking who, also so the owner has a good reason to fire you. Then I'm going to press charges so you're stuck picking up litter which will probably be the perfect job for a dumb shit like you." Each one of Missy's words where articulated and had the same effect of small paper cuts: sharp and intense.

Neither of them seemed to be backing down. All of a sudden it was like Dick realised he had said and done nothing for this whole situation and felt stupid for just standing there being a bystander why this amazing person defended him.

He moved from his position got between the glaring pair separating them slightly, "Back down Lucas. It doesn't need to go any further." Lucas finally dragged his eyes away from the glaring greys and straight into Dick's.

Dick didn't think he would actually back down but after a tense couple of seconds Lucas stepped back. Missy smirked in victory but Dick just focused on trying to get her out of there. He gently indicated towards the door telling her that they should go. Thankfully Missy nodded and turned to go, but her motor mouth got her in a bad situation, again, when she muttered, "Fucking twat."

Dick didn't have time to react when Lucas, in his red faced glory, took a couple of steps forward and pushed Missy forward so her body smacked into the bar. Her hands came down for support but her left land landed right on top of the beer bottle that was there, shattering it and slicing her hand making blood come rushing out.

The raven haired boy grabbed the his co-worker by his collar and held him close to his face, "Don't. You. Ever. Touch. Her." He seethed and Lucas seemed petrified by the sudden anger Dick was displaying having never shown such a powerful emotion like this. But this broke when Dick heard a pained hiss.

He pushed the stupid pig headed boy away into his buddy, and turned back to Missy. His face full of concern as he gently tried to open her hand to see what the damage was.

"Its fine," Missy mumbled but Dick still gently persisted by opening her hand to get a good look. It was bleeding a lot. It seemed Missy had already pulled out the fragment of glass that had cut it badly. It looked okay but Dick couldn't be sure of the damage till he got it cleaned.

"Lets go so we can look at that properly" Dick said softly.

Missy nodded, "I have a first aid kit at mine."

They both moved towards the door but Missy turned and faintly smiled at the new girl, "Sorry about that Lily but say hi to your mum for me."

Dick looked at her puzzled by the strange comment but Missy didn't explain till she was outside, "I've talked to her mom sometimes while waiting for your shift to end and she said her daughter was going to start working here soon." Dick looked even more confused wondering who this mystery mum was.

"Her mom is the owner of this club" Missy supplied.

Dick could couldn't stop the smile on his face.

* * *

"Ow it hurts" Missy complained and Dick just rolled his eyes knowing Missy was being melodramatic because she could. But it seemed to be hiding what she was really feeling right now.

Once they had gotten back to the apartment Dick had washed out the cut and picked out some finer bits of glass that Missy hadn't been able to see before. Now he was wrapping some medical gauze around her hand.

"That was a brave thing for you to do." Dick said quietly. They had both stayed pretty quiet since the bar so this was the first attempt at a conversation they had had. "Brave but stupid".

Dick put the finishing touches to make sure everything was secure and not too tight. "Thanks for doing that Missy." The blue eyed boy said quietly, but he was surprised when he just got an eye roll.

"I shouldn't have to have done it Dick."

Missy stood up and moved passed Dick and to the kitchen. She went over to the kitchen counter that was right next to the window. Leaning onto the counter while looking out of the window.

"What do you want to say Missy?"

The ginger shook her head, "Never mind Dick."

"Missy…" Dick said trying to get her to open up and it seemed to work like a charm.

"What?" She said as she turned around in a furious blaze, "I shouldn't have had to do any of that! You should have stood up for yourself and put those stupid, pig headed, arrogant and ignorant boys in their place. Why didn't you stand up for yourself?!"

"Its not that easy Missy…"

"No, I'm having none of that" Missy announced, walking up to Dick until she was right in his personal space. Dick didn't mind though as he didn't feel attacked even though Missy's face might say otherwise, "Those little boys are bullies. Plain and simple and they needed a good smack down."

The ginger flung her arms out to the side "It's not that hard to stand up for yourself against people like that. So help me out here because you must think you're as worthy as dirt to let them get away with the things they were saying."

Dick couldn't shut out the voice, that velvet voice that spoke in his head, _"You're nothing without me"._

The blue eyed boy cast his eyes down and nodded his head while he said, "Yes".

Missy suddenly softened at Dick's honest reply. She had never really seen how low his self esteem was. She had always seen a guarded person but right now she just saw someone who was lost and that hated them self. She took a breath and Dick could suddenly see her walls fall down and show her own vulnerability as she lay it all on the table. Trying to convince Dick with the sincerity of her words so he might believe them.

"Dick how can you not see how amazing you are? How kind and sweet and smart and… the first time we met is because you were saving me. How can you stand up for a complete stranger but not for yourself?"

Dick shrugged his shoulders and tried to move away not feeling very worthy to be with Missy right now. He had been a coward while Missy was standing up for him. He had stayed still as she spoke up against people twice her size. And Dick had done nothing to help her. Nothing to protect her.

The raven haired boy tried to take a step away but was stopped by a hand on his arm. Though the grip was in fact light and gentle it felt heavy to Dick.

"Please look at me." Dick looked at Missy but not directly in her eyes feeling too ashamed and small right now to do so. "Dick… you're so special. There's something about you I can't put my finger on. But you are someone I really…." She stopped, not feeling ready to say the next words she was about to. It was too soon for both of them so she tried to find something else, "… I care about you."

Dick suddenly realised how close they both were. The air between them seemed to get hotter and the closeness they had between them now felt different. Still comfortable but with a tension that had only been a lurking undertone before.

Dick didn't step away his feet felt like lead but suddenly the honestly that Missy seemed to be speaking with seemed to infect Dick, "Missy… you have no idea who I really am."

"I don't care" she said it with such surety that Dick could almost believe her, but he knew he was just opening himself up to the pain of when he saw the true disgust in her face and watch her walk away from him. Just like everyone else had. So he tried again.

"You have no idea of the people I've hurt" he said softly. Images flashing of the people he had hurt, maimed, killed. A brunet screaming in pain to then have her neck cracked.

The ginger in front of him studied his gaze and spoke carefully, "Did you want too?"

"What?" blue eyes finally looked at her in confusion. Not expecting that question.

"Did you want to? Did you hurt other people because it felt good? Because you gained something from it. Power, money, satisfaction?"

Dick eyebrows knitted together in confusion, he took a step back trying to gather himself, feeling overwhelmed. "No I…"

"So why did you do it? Ask yourself why did you do it? Was it because of fear?"

"No… I… I don't know" Dick stammered, becoming flustered. He had never really thought about why he did it. The fact is he did it. He had killed Heather. He had stolen from others, he had hurt others. It didn't matter why he did it. He had done it.

Dick took a further step back from Missy's embrace and she let him. Giving him this space to ask himself what he really needed the answer to.

"It doesn't matter why I did it. It just matters that I did it." Dick said in frustration.

"Yes, it matters what you did but it matters more why you did it. Was the intent for selfish reasons? Gain?"

Dick shook his head now finally breaking eye contact. "It doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does Dick. Why did you do it?"

"I don't know!"

"Yes you do, just say it? Why did you do it?" she asked again her words not getting any louder but gaining more force. She wasn't backing down. Not when she was so close to helping Dick realise something.

"Stop it Missy. Stop."

"Not until you answer my question. Why did you do it?"

Dick turned around trying to get away from all of these questions. His mind feeling like it was in a twister, swirling around with ideas, memories and voices. But one voice rang out over the rest.

"Why did you do it?"

"Because I couldn't let anyone else get hurt!" he shouted and silence finally descended. It felt like Dick had been submerged under water all these months and now his head had finally broken through the surface. Unknown tears ran down his face.

"I couldn't let more people get hurt…" His knees wobbled but as always Missy was there to support him.

 _"_ _I couldn't let more people get hurt"._

And that was the reason. Dick had forgotten why he had killed Heather. Why he had finally bended and cracked to do what ever Slade had wanted him to. It was because he couldn't stand more people getting hurt because of him. But that reasoning behind his actions… Dick had forgotten the underlying reason of why he had done everything he had over the past few years.

It was a realisation for Dick. But this was a stepping stone in the right direction for Dick. It didn't eradicate or ease the guilt of all the pain he had caused.

"It doesn't change anything…" Dick mumbled.

Missy slowly rose her hand and when Dick didn't flinch or pull away Missy laid it on his face. She softly brought his eyes up to meet her but gave him all the power to move away if he wanted. But soon she was gazing into blurry blues.

"It changes everything, because you never wanted to hurt anyone. But you did what you had to, to at protect what you could. Dick that reason is nothing to be ashamed about. Maybe you should be ashamed about what you have done, but you're only human. You're not a god, you can't prevent everything. You can't save everyone."

Her thumb softly stroked his cheek and Dick leaned more into her touch. Feeling more lost then he had for months. Or maybe he was just suddenly aware of how lost he actually was. Not just alone, sad, guilt ridden but lost.

"How do I move pass this?" His voice wavered and it almost sounded like a plea.

Missy licked her lips, her nervous tick coming through. Small tears coming to her eyes "You learn to love yourself again. You forgive yourself first. And… If you can't do that… Then for now, let me do that for you."

Neither one was sure who moved first. But suddenly lips were on each other, comfort and security turning quickly into something more heated. Dick desperate to find something to cling onto and Missy too lost to think about stopping him.

Dick's hands wrapped around Missy's waist pulling her close and her hands slipping to his shoulders. It was a blur of moment and lost moments where they just focused on the sensation of the other.

Dick's mind was fuzzy as he just tried to clasp onto something. Unfortunately when Missy's hands when down his chest to ran directly over the 'S' shape brand over his heart. Dick froze as the memory of his receiving the burn came back to him.

 _"_ _You will learn your place Richard"_

Missy broke away from him feeling the sudden icy change in the boy in front of her. "Dick?"

The dark haired boy moved back from her and Missy let him. "Dick?" she asked again, fear creeping into her voice but Dick was too lost in his own head of memories to hear her. The only thing he could hear was a velvet voice in his head.

 _"_ _Kill one."_

Dick clutched his head trying to block it out. "Stop". He hadn't realised he had said it out loud.

 _"_ _Kill her. Either way she will die its up to you how long she suffers."_

"Stop it." Dick said a little louder again. Missy unsure what as happening finally moved towards him.

"Please don't make me…" Dick whispered to himself.

Missy misunderstood "Hey Dick its alright."

"Please I can't. I don't want to do this".

"Dick it's okay" Missy reached out and touched him on his shoulder.

Dick span around, "Stop" he shouted and smacked Missy across the face.

Missy fell to the floor, the force of the slap was strong and unexpected and as the ginger slammed into the floor it was like Dick was finally brought back to the moment. Back to the scene that he had just created in his haze and remembrance.

The blue eyed boy rushed forward but Missy scrambled slightly back and it stopped Dick's heart. There was that flash of fear across Missy's face and Dick didn't dare take a step closer.

Missy spat out some blood that dribbled down from her lip. Dick cringed not wanting to believe he did that. That he had hit the only person that he had in his life at this moment.

Missy got up on her own two feet and wiped the blood from her split lip with the back of her hand. Dick was frozen not wanting to believe he had just slapped Missy. But fantasy didn't change the facts.

Dick couldn't bare to look into Missy's eyes because the quick glimpse he got showed fear that he didn't want to be responsible for but that he was.

"I think you should leave" Missy quietly said. The words would have been lost if not for the quietness of the room.

Though Dick's limbs felt like lead he was able to drag them to her door. He didn't dare to look back and he forgot to collect the jacket he had tossed somewhere in the apartment. He just needed to leave.

But he could only walk a little way down the hall after he shut the door. His limbs refused to carry him any further and he collapsed against the wall. Sinking to the floor as the happening of the day crashed on top of him.

 _"_ _You'll become the thing you hate apprentice. I promise you that."_

Dick had known those words had become true after Heather. But for a brief moment he thought he had escaped who he was but now those words felt like they were carved into his skin.

He had just driven the last person he cared about away.


	34. Sorry

**_Chapter 34: Sorry_**

 _Previously on Things Change..._

 _Missy and Dick become closer but in a moment of vulnerability Dick flashes back to memories with Slade. He lashes out and unintentionally strikes Missy - the quick talking ginger he's becoming close to. She asks him to leave and he collapses in the hall believing he's lost the last person that actually might have cared about him._

* * *

"The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realise that the situation is over, you cannot move forward."

* * *

Dick's muscles were stiff.

Being slumped on the wooden floor in a cold hallway can have that effect on you. But he could deal with the stiffness. He could deal that his skin was cold and that the tear tracks on his face felt like they were carved there. He could deal with the emptiness of his mind, the overwhelming emotions and the loss of his own voice. He couldn't deal with the ache in his bones - not a physical kind but an emotional one - a soul crushing ache that you gain when something has been ripped away from you. And while most people would cry and thrash and hyperventilate with that feeling of loss, Dick only sat there. In silence.

It was a far more terrifying reaction.

Dick couldn't think. He didn't want to. Because to think would mean to relive the memories of the previous night. And all the nights before that. Of the faces he had killed. Of a gun in his hands. Of open muscle and white bone. Of voices begging him. Of Missy's scared eyes as she finally realised. Of a mask of orange and black.

Being numb wasn't good, but it was the only way Dick could survive.

So he had stayed on the floor, in the hallway a few steps down from the ginger's apartment, collapsed in his own misery and loss. In hindsight it probably would have been a better idea to leave Missy's building but when something inside of you snaps, disconnects, its hard to connect the brain's logic to your body.

So really he shouldn't have been surprised when a lock softly clicked open and a door was pulled wide revealing a messy haired ginger.

Dick looked up from his position on the floor, knees bent towards him and head awkwardly leaning back against the wall. His blurry, tired vision seeing a fleeting image of the girl he had hurt, only for the door to be quickly snap shut and the lock clicking back into place.

Half closed eyes stared at the door. He wasn't really sure what he expected. No… _That was what he expected._ The reaction wasn't that surprising but that didn't mean it didn't hurt.

But the noise of that slamming door did twinge something in Dick's brain causing a thought to float to the surface… _"It's time to go"._

Without realising it, Dick had stayed in that hallway all night and now it was morning. He could no longer deny what had happened. Pretend it was a horrible dream. He had lost. Last night, for a moment, he actually believed he might have deserved something more. Something better. But Dick had forgotten.

Monsters don't deserve anything good. And Dick knew with every fibre of his being he was a monster. He had enough blood on his hands and voices in his head to prove it. Now Missy knew it to.

Dick started to shift to his feet, ready to leave and carry on in his bleak existence.

So when the door opened again he froze. Tentative eyes looking up and seeing the orange haired girl before him.

She looked tired. Her eyes red and shadows underneath showing her sleepless night. Hair knotted and shoved behind her ears. She wore a long jumper over grey worn out joggers. Everything about her reeked exhaustion and confusion. But as usual there was a fire in her grey eyes, it seemed nothing could get rid of that.

Missy paused when she saw Dick but she then moved forward. She didn't keep her attention on Dick instead just focusing on the spot next to him and moving to it. She was holding two steaming cups of coffee. The only source of heat in the room. As she sat down she didn't say anything and made sure not to touch Dick. For his benefit or hers neither of them knew.

She handed the cup of coffee to Dick still not saying a word. Dick took it hesitantly not sure what Missy wanted from him. She was acting… nice? _Why?_ He didn't deserve it. He never deserved it.

They both sat there awkwardly staring at either their cups or the wall opposite them. Dick taking small tentative sips out politeness and Missy just wrapping her hands round her mug as if to keep warm. The silence was deafening.

"Crap…" Missy said, "I can't… You know I don't do things delicately so I'm just gonna say it. What happened last night?"

Dick could feel a tingling in his nose as his eyes watered up. Suppressed emotions coming up like a dam about to crack. But he didn't move to speak. What could he say? She saw everything she needed to last night.

Missy shook her head sensing she wasn't going to get a reply. "Don't ignore me. I don't deserve a lot from you but I deserve something" she said trying to keep her voice steady but failing.

Still no response and Missy was fed up. In one movement she placed her cup beside her and moved in front of Dick. Resting on her knees now in his eye line. "Dick…" she started but was stopped.

"You deserve a lot Missy," his voice surprisingly steady, "You're kind and patient. You've been there for me no questions asked. You deserve so much for your kindness." Dick's eyes were now trained on the light bruise that had formed on her cheek. The bruise he had put there. "But I don't deserve you" he said.

Missy's eyes seemed to glisten a little. Slowly she took the cup he was holding and placed it out of the way. Nothing in between them It was clear on Missy face she wanted to touch him but she held herself back.

"You don't know what you deserve" Missy said. Something pinged in Dick's chest. He felt like crying. Not in sadness but in frustration. Why could she just understand? It was better when she looked at him in fear because at least she understood what he was. He was a monster. He was rotten. He wasn't worth anything. He never was.

There was so much hope in Missy's eyes and in that moment he wanted her to cower away and stop being so fucking understanding and pure. He needed her to understand he deserved to burn.

"I've hurt people" he said, words blurting out but voice steady and growing in certainty, "And not in little ways. And I did it to people I didn't even know."

"You said that last night," Missy said, "That you hurt people to save who you could".

Dick couldn't take it. _How was she still trying to justify his actions?_ Dick needed to show her who he was. Before Missy could comprehend Dick had lunged forward. Grabbing her by her throat and pushing her upwards until she was on her feet. Her head slammed against the wall behind her. Dick's hot breath next to her ear and sending chills down her spine.

"I hurt people because I was ordered to. I took lives because he said to. I didn't want to be in pain anymore." Blue eyes came back into Missy's view, "So I inflicted it on others."

For anyone else they would be scared for themselves. Seeing only a animal that was powerful and dangerous. Ripping you apart like you were nothing.

Missy knew what Dick was trying to do. He was lashing out. Was she scared? Hell yes. But not for her. Last night was scary because she had never seen Dick like that. But looking into his eyes now she could see as clear as day, as if Dick's emotions were written like words on a page, he wasn't doing this to hurt her. He was doing it to hurt himself.

He wanted her to see a monster. She just saw something that had been tortured for so long it didn't know anything else other then pain.

So though her throat constricted painfully, her head throbbed, and everyone of her cells sang to knee him in his delicate place. She didn't. She ignored the hand on her throat and focused on those blue eyes that had their pupils blown wide. Raising her hands she gently placed them on his face.

"You've done horrible things that can't be forgiven" she whispered his eyes burning into her. "But you are not a monster. You were only living with one".

Missy saw something. She wasn't sure if it was his body language, his facial expression or those damn eyes of his but she saw something. She wasn't sure if she had just helped him or broken him.

She wrapped her hands around his head and brought his forehead to hers. His hand was still wrapped around her neck, his other hand leaning against the wall behind her. No space between them. No space to breathe. In that moment it wasn't clear where she ended and he began. It wasn't clear who was really trembling.

Missy didn't even realise she was crying. Tears spilling down. "Please don't give up Dick. You can't lose this fight. I know you're going through hell… But please… please keep going."

Missy didn't beg often. But she would. She had no pride at this moment because she couldn't let Dick give up. She had seen the light in him. Those moments when he was unaware of himself, lost in the moment. Head thrown back, neck bared and smile plastered on his face. He fucking shined in those too rare of moments and those where the moments Missy knew she was falling for him. Those breathtaking moments where you could see with clarity who Dick was really supposed to be, and those heart-aching moments when you realised this boy - with his damn blue eyes - felt like he deserved punishment because someone had drilled it into his head that was what he deserved.

Missy would give anything for this boy she barely knew just so he could see for himself that he wasn't a monster. To convince him to keep on trying. To keep on fighting.

But suddenly he was gone. Leaving her slumped against the wall and looking at her like she was a ghost.

Dick's eyes no longer meet hers as he said "I can't let anyone else get bloody because of me. You deserve better Missy."

Missy felt like screaming. Screaming at this stupid boy to just wake up. "How do you know what I deserve! I deserve my friend who's a self sacrificing idiot, who can't cook to save his life but actually cares about me." She was being selfish now. She knew it but she also knew she was losing this argument.

Dick didn't understand. Never even realised. All this time Dick thought Missy was with him just so she could piece together the puzzle of Dick the Bartender. To try and help fix him. He could never see that she was actually trying to fix herself along the way.

"Please don't leave me alone. Don't leave like this. Don't push me away".

Dick shook his head keeping his eyes low and shoulders slumped. "I need to… so I don't lose you."

"The only reason you're gonna lose me… is because you no longer want me" Missy said seeking out Dick's eyes but he kept his head bowed.

A moment. A moment of silence that sucked the oxygen out of the air, creating a painful stillness that left Missy frozen. A single moment… that was broken when Dick took a step away.

Game over.

Missy couldn't stand to watch Dick walk away. She didn't notice her legs give way and her back sliding down the wall, she didn't register the broken sob that left her. Or her hands shaking. She just felt Dick walk away until he was finally gone leaving her alone in the hallway he was in the night before.

* * *

 _A/N So... I'm back?_

 _I am so sorry for not posting! I lost a lot of steam to write but I finally started again. I was planning to post more to this chapter but when I finished writing this... I just had to post it to you as soon as I could. Let me know what you think! Comment, scream and rant._

 _I was so close to giving up on this story but now I've got my life a bit more sorted and I really want to continue writing this story._

 _I know I've been promising better times for Dickie boy and they **are** coming and I guess thats why I found it hard writing for a while cause I was trying to rush things but with this story... for me... I just can't force better time quickly without it getting cheesy or feeling like I'm betraying the characters because healing is hard. Its even harder then breaking. But I read about sometime beautiful the other day, theres a tradition in China when a pot cracks, splits or is broken. Those cracks are then filled in with gold. It shows that our flaws and breaks and lowest moments are what helps define us and make us stronger. They make us into better people._

 _Dick's going through surviver's guilt at the moment feeling like he deserves loneliness and isolation but don't you worry when Dick's sorted himself out he's gonna be golden ;) and those chapters, I promise, are coming soon._

 _So please stay with me and keep on reading. Thank you to all of you that have decided to keep on reading up until this point it means more to me then you could know xxx_


	35. Birth

_**Chapter 35: Birth**_

 _Previously on Things Change: can you just read the last chapter if you've forgotten? I'm too tired… ;p_

 _ANYWAY, ON WITH THE SHOW!_

* * *

Ready? Ready is when you are prepared. When you are in a state for action, willing and eager to do something.

That was a state Dick hadn't been in for a long time. How can you be ready for something when you have nothing planned? Had nothing to aim for. This was Dick's problem. He couldn't move forward because his future was always going to be doomed. The threat of the return of his Master always hanging over his head. A promise waiting to be fulfilled. So how could you make other plans knowing the inevitable was undeniable?

Getting an apartment and job were logical. Something to blend in and give him something to do while he waited. But meeting Missy… and everything after that that hadn't been logical. It had been real. More then existing, waiting and observing but actually participating and Dick felt guilty for ever letting himself have that. Only innocent people could and deserved to live in bliss. Dick wasn't that. He deserved punishment. He deserved to be in a prison even if he had to construct it himself.

Part of him knew it was for the best. To leave Missy. To let her carry forward while he waited. Live in a limbo because thats where monsters belonged who didn't have a master to lead them. So he left her alone in that hallway because it was what she deserved and because it was what he deserved.

At least thats what Dick tried to convince himself.

He tried to convince himself it was what was best for everyone. Ignoring that one voice inside his head that tried to convince him it was actually because he was scared. Scared to move forward and truly facing himself. Scared of finding out if he was actually worthy of being cared for and accepted. Scared of feeling and for those feelings to be turned to something much worse. Because allowing yourself to feel was a double edged sword. With caring came loss. With love came anger. With acceptance came rejection. _Isn't it better to be neutral and unfeeling?_

* * *

It was creeping into the evening now. The dark haired boy was wiping down the tables, getting ready for the club to open. Lily, the daughters owner, was helping to set up. Her mother was also there doing inventory.

"Lily, no texting when your supposed to be working." Milly said in a scalding tone that only a mother could pull off. She placed the heavy box she was carrying on the counter.

"Kay just need to finish texting Missy".

Dick's eyes unintentionally flickered up upon hearing the ginger's name but immediately pushed that feeling of guilt and the need to hear more down.

"Oh hows she doing? Haven't seen her in a while" Milly commented and Dick ignored the glance his way. Everyone knew that Missy only came to the club because of Dick and the fact that she wasn't here for so long told everyone something was wrong between them.

"Yeah she's okay but I'm pretty bummed she's leaving." Lily said, both noticing when Dick froze slightly.

Milly carried on talking, "Oh what's happening?" she asked.

"Missy's moving back to England. Apparently something came up and she needed to go home."

Dick ignored his heart tightening in his chest or the fact it just become hard to sallow. _Why should he be shocked by that news? Why should he be allowed to have any reaction?_ It had been three weeks since he had last seen Missy and really, it was good that she was moving on. Dick had made it clear to her that she should move on. So why did he feel this sinking sensation as something heavy settled in his stomach?

Dick hadn't realised that he had stopped moving. Not until Milly spoke up, "You okay there Mick?" _(Dick's cover identity)_

Dick repressed a surprise flinch. The blank mask that had been etched into his face for the last few weeks easily sliding back on, helping to hide his surprise at being talked to.

"Yeah" he said lowly while returning back to his work, ignoring the worried look from Milly. The older women left the room for a while then returned just as she was ending a call.

"Mick, I need you to go to Coopers and pick up some vodka from there. I miss judged how much we would need and the owner said he willing to sell us some extra."

"Okay" Dick said. He finished up what he was doing and grabbed his jacket on the way out. Cooper's was only a 10 minute walk away and he was glad to get out and recollect himself for a bit. He wasn't willing to admit it but the new information about Missy had sent his head spinning.

"Lily, phone away." Milly chided after Dick left. Lily rolled her eyes at her mom but finally put the phone away. She went over to the box her mom had brought in and opened it up to unload it. Only to be confused by what she saw inside.

"Mum you do realise there is a whole box of vodka here right?" Lily said.

"Yes," was all Milly replied.

* * *

The cold air was biting into Dick's skin but he didn't mind. It was distracting and he was trying no to think too much. Letting the air numb out his mind.

He had been to Coopers a lot with Missy so the route there was familiar to him. But he didn't let his mind drift to those happy memories of a musty bar, foul tasting beer and the smiling ginger. Dick just focused on the wind stinging his cheeks.

However, that concentration quickly dissipated once he enter the bar. The warmth of the room hitting his skin, making his face go red. The silence of the street replaced with the nosiness from inside and the sight of a familiar ginger at the bar.

Dick froze. Brian stopped. Breathing halted.

Missy's head was resting against her hand and her eyes looked glazed over. Dick nearly bolted from the room. His muscles coiled and ready to launch himself out of there. Until he saw a stranger's hand sliding down Missy's side.

Some creep, breath reeking of alcohol, came into Missy's personal space and started to get handsy with her. Missy took a step back to get some distance, obviously not wanting the attention but it was clear she was tipsy as she nearly tripped over her own feet. Making the creep of a man grab a hold of her bicep in an attempt to steady her but also using it to draw her closer.

Dick didn't realise what happened next. One moment he was at the door staring at the scene and the next he was across the room and by the bar. Now with the drunk ginger behind him and the hand belonging to the creep snapped back at an unnatural angle in Dick's hand.

Before he could really process or think about what he had just done Dick gently took Missy's arm and steered her out of the bar and into the crisp night air. They made it a few streets down until his hand was finally slapped away and Missy stumbled away from him.

"What the hell Dick?!"

Missy ran her hands through her hair as if to get rid of the alcoholic cloud surrounding her. The shock of seeing Dick and the cold night air helped to sober her up a bit. But her racing heart did so even more. She bent over lightly and rested her hands on her knees, breathing deeply to get her bearings again.

Once she felt like the world had stopped tilting she slowly straightened up only to see a dump experience on Dick's face; like he had no clue what he had done wrong. She couldn't stand that look.

"What the hell Dick" Missy repeated, her voice dropping in anger, "You disappear for almost three weeks. No calls, no texts, you completely dodged me and now you come back in to my life, break some asshole's hand and drag me off!"

Dick had nothing to say and Missy was miffed by the underwhelming response. Scratch that she was close to full on seething. "Come on. Say something! Let me know your still alive cause right now you might as well be a ghost."

Dick blinked. "You're leaving," he said. He's not really sure why those words fell out but it was the only thing that rolled off his tongue.

"Really? Thats all you have to say."

"Well, what do you want to me say?" Dick said louder then he intended to. Emotions threatening to bubble up as he pushed them back down, but it was hard to round Missy. She always had this infuriating affect on him.

"I don't know." Missy replied causing Dick to arms throw up in frustration. "Really the great Missy doesn't know? Well, I guess there's a first for everything." Dick said.

"Don't take that tone with me" Missy heatedly replied back but Dick was just as quick.

"You're not my mother so don't lecture me. Stop being so fucking patronising! You know nothing about me".

"Oh really?" Missy challenged.

"Oh really." Dick's emotions where now controlling what he said. The thought process from brain to mouth being bypassed. "We know nothing about it each other! For all you're talking you never really say anything. Face it you never told me of anything that was actually important! Not really. I don't know where from England you're from, I don't know what you did before this. I don't know what that tattoo means. I don't know why you're leaving and I sure as hell don't know your real name!"

Missy stayed still, eyes widened as she stared at Dick and for some reason it made Dick feel good. To finally impact her in this way. For her to be frozen and unsure for once instead of it being Dick all the time. He felt a little powerful for having this effect on her. For some sick, addicting reason Dick liked it. It felt like he finally had some control over his stupid life.

"What the hell do you want from me!" Dick was very close to yelling at this point.

"Nothing…" she said, "I never wanted anything from you except to have you in my life."

Dick laughed her at, "Well good because we mean nothing to each other. We're just strangers. All I know for sure is that you're a noisy ginger that has a mouth too big for her own good".

So intent on lashing out without care Dick didn't realise she had walked up to him, but he heard the slap of her hand smacking his cheek. It wasn't painful but it had its desired effect of shutting Dick up.

"Screw you" the ginger spat, "You don't fucking know anything? You never fucking asked because you never cared before now."

Dick looked into those normally loving grey eyes but only saw a hardened steel stare. He tried to swallow down the guilt that was building up his throat as he felt like he couldn't back down. He couldn't let her win. Even though he wasn't sure what game they were playing.

Missy turned away, rubbing at her eyes as if to get rid of the last of her drunken cobwebs. When she faced Dick again those eyes were still steel doors. The last thing he expected as her retaliation was the vulnerability of the story she was about to tell.

"My father was a drunken idiot that had the profitable career as a drug dealer," she announced with a bitter smile, "and he only cared about himself. Eventually he found using drugs was far more enjoyable then selling them. The people he worked for didn't really like that. Not when it cost them a couple of hundreds."

Dick wasn't sure what to make of Missy's sudden change in conversation. He wanted to say something snarky and anger filled but the look on Missy's face, cold with a fake sense of happiness, made him stop and just listen.

"I never really had a dad. Maybe when I was little but that changed when my mum left. Don't remember her either, but I wasn't good enough for her to stick around for so why should I care? The only person I ever had was my sister. She was my family, my best friend, my role model."

Something become softer in Missy's voice when talking about her sister. Dick could see clear love there but a coldness settled in his stomach when she used the past tense to describe her. Dick knew he was going to be learning something about Missy that she didn't like to talk about. Something that was painful for her. And Dick felt revulsion towards himself for pushing her this far.

"When I was 16." She stopped, licking her lips. "It got to the point where my dad was no longer getting threats. They were being dished out. He came home black and blue once. He was terrified, but not for us for himself."

The bitter smile plastered on her face was cracking. Showing the real pain she wanted to hide. Her tough person persona crumbling as the words tumbled out. "He was able to save himself though. Not the way he originally wanted but hey… he made it out with his life."

Missy's eyes watered up. She took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. Trying to keep herself together but so clearly falling apart. "The cops arrested him," she breathed "Took him to a nice little cell where he could be protected. But he wasn't arrested for the distribution of drugs, assault or theft. No," her voice broke, "No. It was for murder."

Everything become very still. Missy's eyes no longer drilling into Dick but gazing into the distance, living in the memory of her past again, "One night when me and my sister were coming home… our door always stuck when you opened it you practically had to kick it in. Not very welcoming, bit scary at times. So my dad didn't think twice to shoot at the door when someone tried to open it late at night. He was out of his mind with fear, he didn't care or think about who might be behind it" she let out a dry sob, bring her hand up to her mouth in an attempt to smother it. Tears starting to run down her face but she wiped them away with her sleeve, her grey eyes shining bright and cold into Dick's.

"It was my sister. He shot her four times and she dropped dead before I knew what was happening. He ran away not because he was ashamed but because he was scared of being caught," Missy had to pause to gather herself. It didn't work. "I was left to hold my bleeding, dead sister in my arms till the cops had arrived and her body turned cold."

"My life turned pretty shit after that. Not that I had really known an amazing life before. But I had my sister. Then I didn't. I had to bury her alone. So wasn't really surprising when I went into depression after that and everything just continued to get worse until I said whats the point anymore…"

She was sobbing now, without restraint. Tears streaming down, panting out breaths and eyes shut tight as if to block out the horrors. Dick took a step forward in an attempt to comfort her. But upon sensing his approach she back peddled. Pointing a single finger at him that causing him to freeze and move back again. Missy tired to get her breathing back. Slowly inhaling. Holding it. Then letting it go. When it finally regulated into something that could barely be considered calm. Her eyes went back to Dick. Sadness from her story there, but also anger at feeling corned into telling it.

She held up her arm. The arm with the beautiful intricate tattoo sleeve on it.

"This tattoo…" she said while showcasing her art to Dick, "…its like I said. This pattern means nothing but its when I decided to get a grip on myself and start living again. To stop begin pathetic. To start enjoying life for myself cause my sister wouldn't want anything else for me. I had to start taking care of myself for myself. Like she had always done for me. Her death defined me but I couldn't let it break me. Not anymore then it already had."

She brought her arm towards her and rubbed small circles across it. Her eyes staying on Dick's.

"I came to America because of the opportunity for a change and to do a job I love. And I'm leaving, because my dad might be getting out of jail…" her jaw clenched and her hand tightened into a fist, "They offered him a chance at early parole for giving up key names in the drug business but he doesn't deserve… he deserves to be in jail for more then just two years. He stole my sister's life and she deserves more then just two of his when he isn't even sorry for taking hers."

Missy swallowed, her voice heavy now with her outpour of emotions and pain, but anger now singing above all the rest. And it was terrifying. This was a dry anger. An anger that allowed her words to come out crisp and sharp, each word causing a slice of pain and regret on their recipient. Her story was painful to tell, but the reason for telling it was to show Dick how far he had pushed her.

"My sister was a good person. She deserved so much more then what she got and I'll be damed if that isn't honoured somehow." More stray tears ran away from Missy's eyes but there was still a static anger and stiffness to her body.

Dick didn't know what to say. She had answered all the questions he had just wanted to know. But he didn't feel good about it or like he had won. They had both lost. Just Dick had lost while being an asshole.

Missy was honest with him when she didn't need to be, when he didn't deserve it. Suddenly any anger in Dick evaporated and he was just left feeling guilty and rightly so.

He tried to form an apology, "Missy…" he began but she quickly backed away while throwing up her hands, "Don't you dare Dick. Don't look at me like that. You asked. So I answered. Now you finally got what you wanted. Happy?"

Dick felt horrible. Horrible for the fact that he was putting Missy through all of this. That she had gone through all of this and he never even bothered to notice. To absorbed in his own pain.

"Don't pity me" she said, "Because we all have our sob stories. We're all here because we lost something we thought we couldn't live without and we were proven wrong. Because half of the hardship is losing something but the other half is releasing the world doesn't care. It still moves on. We can survive without our parents and without the people we love or the people we couldn't protect. But there is a difference between surviving and living"

Missy took a step back, leaning back on one leg and chin a bit higher then before. "And you're just surviving Dick".

That cut close to home for him. She so easily summed up everything in his life and it felt hollow for it to be summed up so easily.

Missy closed her eyes and lowered her head again. She let out a sigh and with it some of her anger dissipated. When Dick saw her eyes again she just looked at him with sorrow. "And I feel sorry for you. Because I've seen the moments when you're just yourself and it's stunning. You're stunning Dick." She said the last bit softer.

"You're stunning when you just live in the moment. Its like theres a spot light on you but really…" Missy shrugged her shoulders, "…I can't save you. I can't. " she said it with such regret, like she really wanted to help him, save him from himself but now understanding she could not.

"It's up to you. You have to want to save yourself. You have to be the one to look in the mirror and see the whole of you and accept that, only then can you change into the person you want to be. Stop seeing yourself as the victim, or monster or whatever. Stop ignoring everything to save yourself pain because you're still in pain aren't you?"

Dick couldn't look at her any longer. Dick knew all of this but there was something different when someone else said it and you actually listened. It was the same feeling as being punched in the gut and losing your breath.

He didn't answer the question she proposed. He couldn't. It was too humiliating to confirm everything she was saying because Dick didn't want to admit it to himself.

Missy saw this and huffed out a breath. She shook her head not believing the boy in front of her. She wasn't angry just disbelieving. More so, she was just tired. She had been worried about Dick for so long and now seeing him… he looked like the walking dead and god did she want to help him. She loved him but she loved herself too. And she could only do so much before she ended up destroying herself for someone that didn't even want her.

She spoke, her tone just over all of this now. Over this situation. "The fact is Dick, everything changes. Things change and it's fucking hard… but sometimes if you let it, it can be fucking liberating."

She didn't want to have to say goodbye but she had to… for herself. She couldn't stick around someone she cared about and see him fade away. To be pushed away again and again.

"I realise there's a lot of things you haven't told me. And maybe I don't deserve to know them, in fact you don't owe me a dame thing. But I do love you Dick, but I know that isn't enough for you."

She wanted to see his eyes, but the dark haired boy in front of her wasn't looking up. Missy wanted to hug him, she wanted to apologise for everything she had said, for making him seem so small now. But she couldn't, for ever time she tried to help he just lashed out and she couldn't be slapped down again for helping. That hurt too much.

"Sorry for the honesty" she said and with one last look she left. She started to walk away. Failing to see the tears from blue eyes dripping away and hitting the pavement behind her.

* * *

Dick took the long way home. He walked all night and when he finally climbed the stairs up to his apartment his legs were sore. But it was nothing compared to his heavy head and ache in his chest. Missy's words sticking to his insides like glue.

It felt like his heart was slowing down and speeding up at the same time and this unnerving sensation would rip him apart. His vision was out of focus and his limbs behaving of their own accord. Nothing was clear in his panicked state except two words repeating in his head.

 _"_ _Things change."_

What a terrifying thought. Dick had been avoiding this notion of so long. He knew he had changed with his time with Slade but to think that he could change again, that was terrifying.

Dick had been avoiding himself for so long and he had become good at it. _Would it help?_ To let things change and move on.

 _No_. Dick wasn't allowed to move on, he felt like he physically couldn't. Trapped in a box of his own making. He didn't deserve to live differently with happiness and acceptance. Why did he deserve any of that?

But right now, living in this state where it felt like the air he breathed was lead and his world closing in, it was suffocating.

In his panic he made his way to the only mirror in his place. It was on the inside of his wardrobe normally having a jumper draped over it. It was the only mirror he couldn't get rid of in his flat but one that was easy to avoid.

His fingers stretched out and grasped the fabric covering it, pulling it away to reveal… a stranger. Dick saw a man. Someone with pale skin that looked unhealthy and shiny from sweat. Veins bold underneath it adding blue and purple like bruises to his face. Ink black hair, unkept, messy and spiking up haphazardly. Stray hairs falling in front of ice blue eyes. Eyes so blue they almost looked white, contrasting with the dark circles under them and the redness surrounding them too. From lack of sleep, tears or just a sign to show how tortured he was was anyones guess.

This figure was dressed in black, Fabric stretched across broad shoulders and a slim waist. He had grown a lot. Gone were the chubby cheeks and round jaw and instead a good structure to his face and a defined body. Some part of Dick thought how he looked more like his father now but gone were so many of the features he knew his father held. His lifted chin, and puffed out chest, eyes raised and smile wide.

Dick didn't see a crying boy lost and abandoned. He just saw a stranger that looked dead. An empty shell. A poor imitation at human life. And what else did he expect?

It's a funny thing when you don't see your reflection for so long. Don't take the time to really stare at it, because you can disassociate from the image you see. Dick saw this pathetic figure in the mirror and somehow… it didn't feel like him. It was just a stranger he was glimpsing.

And he hated it.

Dick clenched his fist, his body stiffening and teeth biting together. But it still just felt like he was watching someone imitating him. A perfect mime.

Water built up in his eyed from these feelings of frustration and anger. He let the pain fill him up, the anger fuel this empty feeling in his body and lashed out. He expected to punch the mirror. Scatter this pathetic person in front of him. But at the last minute he paused and rested his hand ageists it and looked at himself directly in the eye.

This was him. A stranger to himself.

Dick closed his eyes and leaned his head against the mirror. Suddenly he was lashing out in a very different way. He began to sob. Nothing graceful or poetic of pretty about it, just pure feeling raging and ravaging his body.

He collapsed, arms braced on the floor and resting his head there. Plain suffering for any and all to witness. It was ugly and human. The most human Dick had been in so long.

His breaths came out angry and harsh. Hot breaths slowly replacing the cold stilted air. Hot tears stemming down and merging together in their masses. Hair now sticking to his forehead, body tense and uncontrolled.

Dick didn't know what he expected. But he shouldn't have expected some sort of miracle or revelation from seeing his own reflection. There was no hope in his image and no answers. Just him. What a pathetic sight.

* * *

It took all night. A night of tears and breaking down. Finally Dick couldn't stand being in that stuffy room so he made his way onto the roof. A natural spot to go. A childhood security. A place high up where he could watch things unfold. A disconnection from the world where he was no longer a participant but only an observer.

Dick felt empty staring down from his high perch on the awakening city. This morning was such a juxtaposition from last night. A night full of high emotions, confrontations and unresolved feelings to now just feeling… blank.

Uncaring for what was happening. What had happened. And what could happen.

For so many questions and challenges to be proposed in one night, not one of them had been solved because Dick didn't know who he was. He didn't want to be Renegade but really… he still felt like Slade's apprentice. His property and that identity made Dick's bones heavy. It felt like something he wanted to claw out of him but had no energy to even lift an arm.

So Dick stared on. The lights of the city flickering. The sun creating long shadows. Sleepy drivers starting their engines for another day in their lives. Dicks eyes followed the cars or pedestrians on the street below until they were out of view. He did this for a long time.

Until his eyes caught onto a young boy. All Dick could make out was a dark brown almost black hair. He seemed young, around 10. He wore an obscenely bright yellow jumper as he was jogging down the road, laughing over his shoulder as if to someone behind him. It seemed like he had the intention of crossing the street before him. But he wasn't paying attention. Not looking around. Not seeing the car that was coming down the road.

But Dick did.

Before his brain really thought of a plan he was standing up and stepping off the roof. In a fit of acrobatic feet he made it gracefully down the first section of the fire escape stairs to then leap across to the street lamp, using that to slide himself down the street. Then he was sprinting across the street and grabbing the young boy, pulling him back to the sidewalk while a car blared its horn speeded past.

Dick just saved this child's life.

Neither boy said anything, too shocked by what had happened and letting their brains catch up to them. But soon another figure came shouting into view.

"Tim!"

An older gentlemen looking very similar to the younger boy came running over. He grabbed the boy apparently called Tim and started to check him over, crouching down to his level to see him.

When it seemed apparent that the young boy was fine if not just a bit shaken, the older man, that Dick presumed to be the boys father, shook Tim's shoulders, "What an earth where you thinking not looking were you were going!"

But looking at the look on his sons face made the father embrace his son. The smaller boy buried his face into his father chest while the father gripped onto him for dear life.

Dick unintentionally stayed there watching the scene unfold until the father finally looked up at Dick. "Thank you so much" he said.

"You're welcome" Dick replied softly.

"No really you're a hero. Well, to me and my son anyway." The father moved around his son, keeping one hand on his shoulder and extending the other hand towards Dick.

"Not really." Dick said, then looked down at the younger boy who wore a hesitant smile, not quite looking Dick in the eye. Slowly, Dick shook the older gentlemen's hand before addressing the younger, "Just remember to look before crossing."

The smaller boy bent his head down trying to hide his reddening face. Soon both father and son left and Dick watched them leave. As his gaze finally left them he caught his reflection in the shop window. He saw the same person from last night but there was something different. He held himself differently. His head higher, shoulder relaxed. An easy smile on his face.

And thats when it hit Dick, he didn't know who he was, but he knew who he wanted to be. He wasn't hero but he liked helping people. It was what he had always tried to do and maybe… maybe that was something he could get back to.

* * *

Dick didn't waste a breath pausing at the door. He didn't want to let his stupid head get in the way again. So he didn't let himself hesitate or pause for thought. Once he realised what he needed to do for himself he knew who he should go to.

Although, seeing the death stare the secretary was giving him in the tattoo parlour made him suddenly feel very self conscious and become painfully aware that he probably should have showered and brushed his teeth before coming here.

The dark haired boy cautiously made his way to the desk a little calmer then before and politely asked, "I'm here to see Missy?" It came out as more of a question then Dick had intended.

Upon hearing her name a familiar orange haired girl appeared round the corner, "Hey is that my 10 o'clock?" she said before seeing who was at the desk. Once she did see she stood still. Eyes wide, mouth open. It was clear she exhausted and sporting a hangover. She looked like a wreck.

Dick hated seeing her like this, but then he realised he was the reason she was like this. Suddenly what ever courage he had gained completely deserted him upon seeing her. But he needed to do this, "No… but I would like to get a tattoo." He stumbled over his words.

Missy blinked in confusion and then let go of the breath she was holding, annoyance and just a hint of anger suddenly radiating off her. "Well, there are other artists so why don't you waste their time" Missy said dismissively about to turn around but was stopped by Dick's voice.

"You're the one I came to see."

Missy hated herself for a second for being so weak but dammit this sneaky little devil had gotten under her skin and he just sounded so pathetic. So with a sigh she nodded her head and then held out her hand indicting for Dick to follow her.

Dick walked passed the receptionist who was still giving him a death glare, he assumed she knew something of the broken relationship between him and Missy, but chose to ignore her and follow the ginger.

The tattoo shop he was in was actually quite homely with wooden floors and nice rugs, blues running through the shop adding hints of colour. The section where the tattoos were done was sterilised and organised, everything put away and tidied. Each artist got a work station to sketch and design on and their own board to showcase their work

Missy sat down on one of her stools and inclined her head indicating for Dick to sit on the one to her left. Missy's desk was a bit of a mess with sketches thrown everywhere and pencils littering the place but somehow it just seemed to showcase how creative she was. A messy desk full of beautiful art and designs only highlighting what an artist she was.

She quickly piled things onto of each other to clear a space and then pulled out a sketch pad and flipped through it till she landed on a clean page.

"So what do you want?" she said still not looking at Dick. Missy's hair was tied back and he had failed to see the three pencils and pens she had shoved in her hair until she pulled one out, ready to start drawing. But what Dick really missed was seeing her eyes.

"I'm not entirely sure…" Dick started to say as he finally sat down next to her. He was sitting so close but it felt like she was miles away. Her keeping an expression of professionalism that he barely saw her wear, only when she wanted to get something done quickly.

"Well, it's best not to get something if you're not sure." It looked like she was gonna push away from the table dismissing this whole conversation and leave. Dick couldn't let that happen, not straight away. So he gently placed his hand onto of hers to stop her. "I know I want to get something I'm just… not sure what. Thats why I need someone to help" he spoke softly.

Finally curious grey eyes flickered up to his but all too soon they were staring back at the page. "So, why do you want a tattoo so bad."

Dick so badly wanted to see her eyes again, stop with this indifference she was putting up. He needed her.

"It was rather spectacularly put to me last night that I've been selfish…" he said, getting a raised eyebrow as a response. Small steps. "…and I realised I don't want to be that person. So I wanted to get something to remind me of that."

Missy licked her lips while thinking something over before going into her coat pocket and pulled out a set of keys. She quickly got a key chain off it and chucked at Dick.

The blue eyed boy gracefully caught it. It was very simple silver key chain with London monuments on it like Big Ben, London Isle and other buildings Dick wasn't really sure off. He glanced up from the key chain to the ginger in front of him.

"There. You got your memento. You can go instead of talking to a stranger."

Dick wanted to sigh in frustration at this stubborn headed mull in front of him but he understand why she was like this. He had yelled at her last night, hurt her intentionally and she only showed vulnerability when Dick had lashed out.

Missy got up and went to move away but Dick once again gently took her hand to stop her from leaving. Before he knew it he was speaking, "I knew a boy once. I think in another life he… he would have been what I imagined my little brother would have been like. He was called Jason, but I always called him Red or JayBird. He was a good kid. I mean too cocky for his own good but…good."

Missy finally turned back to him, eyes pinning him in position, "Why are you telling me this?" she asked.

"Cause for a brief moment he reminded me of who I thought I should be and today I did something and I felt that same feeling".

"What feeling?" Missy asked again.

"Like I'm flying" Dick responded and there it was. That glimpse smile he didn't know he had been aching to see till now.

"Cheesy much?" she said and Dick could only nodded with a small smile of his own. Both sharing a small laugh and gosh it was so easy. It was so easy with her.

So he continued, "I don't really like being on the ground. Since I could walk I've been training to be in the air to be a performer. When my parents passed… " Dick paused, a little knot of emotion building in his throat. He hadn't thought about his family in so long. He felt guilt over that, but continued when he felt a little squeeze of encourage from Missy.

"…When they passed suddenly flying wasn't just about my own enjoyment and others entertainment but it allowed me to help others. To do things others couldn't and help people when they couldn't help themselves and… I like helping people. I like getting people justice and making them feel safe. I just want to do good."

Dick swallowed, "And then I lost sight of that and then shitty things happened in my life I did what I did to save myself." Dick didn't realise he had lowered his eyes until he felt a gentle hand on the side of his head bringing his gaze back up.

"It's okay to save yourself Dick…" Missy said and Dick understood that somehow Missy understood to some extent what he was saying.

"It doesn't make it right. I'm still a monster," Dick said and speeded along before Missy could interrupt, "but that doesn't mean I can't still help people. Thats something I love to do and from that I think I can make something out of my life. For however long I can."

They were silent both looking at each other. It was hard for Dick being honest but he suddenly felt lighter. It was like trying to walk up a hill to see the sunrise. It was hard and frustrating because with every step you took the soil shifted and you slide back down a little. It's so easy to give and Dick had. He was going to let himself lie down and stay down. Then Missy came along and reminded him that he didn't have to. He could keep trying to get better and reach the top.

Dick wasn't looking for redemption because he would never deserve it, but he at least wanted to do some good in the world. He didn't really know how, but he knew what his first small step was. And that was apologising to Missy. The one person that bother to stop and help him.

"So you want a reminder not to be such a… dick" Missy said teasingly causing Dick to huff out a laugh. "I think I would put it a bit more elegantly then that but…. yeah"

Missy reached around Dick and he finally dropped her hand as she grabbed her note pad. He instantly missed the contact but watched her intently as she started to draw. She was done in ten seconds, ripping out the page for him to see. "There you go" she said with a smirk on her face.

She had drawn a circle with a line going through it over an image that was… well… it was very fitting to 'Dick's' name. "I was hoping for something a bit more artistic" he said.

Missy shrugged her shoulders and looked down. A sadness suddenly falling on her. The smile leaving her face as a thought occurred and implanted in her head. "Yeah well, I know you don't actually want a tattoo."

Missy clutched her sketch book to her chest as if it was a shield and Dick hated seeing this look of doubt she had. He shifted to say something but Missy stopped him, "I get it Dick. Its like a rehab programme. You're only here to make amends and you have. You don't need me and theres no reason to feel guilty for that."

In a move that Missy would normally do, he stood up and put either hand on the side of her face lifting her gaze to meet his.

"I need you." He said it so strongly Missy really wanted to believe him. "I never wanted to admit that because that means admitting I care about you and that you mean something to me. And I'm sorry. Sorry for taking advantage of your kindness and your patience. You've been there for me and I… I haven't always been there for you. I haven't listened and asked about you. And the only thing I can do now is say I'm sorry."

Missy closed her eyes and then reached up to lower Dick's hands from her face but she kept them clasped in her hands in-between them. "It's okay Dick…"

"No, it's not" he replied.

"No, it's not. But… but I'm leaving soon anyway and…" she started to say until Dick spoke again.

"And you should." Missy parted her lips in surprise looking up at Dick. "You should leave because I know thats what you need. I understand you came hear to grow stronger as a person and Missy, you're one of the strongest people I know. But now you need to go home and face your demons. For you."

Dick didn't see the water in Missy's eyes but he felt them dribble onto his shoulder after she suddenly wrapped her armed around him and buried her head into the crook of his neck. Dick breathed her in and it felt good to finally be a crutch for her to lean on like she had been for him so many times.

"I've missed you Bartender" she said adding her affectionate nickname and Dick now knew that everything was going to be okay with them.

"I've missed you too Missy",

After a few moments Missy finally pulled away and quickly wiped her eyes, heat rising to her cheeks feeling slightly embarrassed for getting to so emotional. "Come on then, I might as well take my break now and go get some coffee with you."

But as Missy went to get her jacket Dick stopped her, "Actually, I would really like to get a tattoo."

This sent Missy's eyebrow through the roof.

* * *

Dick was nervous, but it was the good kind of nerves. The one that made him jittery with anticipation. A small blimp of worry did cross his mind but he knew it would be gone once he had started. Well, he hoped.

A knocking on the door took him away from his pacing. He didn't go to answer it. Missy had a habit of just barging in and Dick had given her a key a long time ago. Which was why he was surprised when the door remained closed, Dick stared at it like it had grown a head. _Missy never waited._

Dick was pulled away from his surprise when he heard Missy say through the door, "Are you going to let me in?"

The blue eyed boy walked over and opened the door giving Missy a bewildered look, "Since when do you knock?" he asked.

"I've always knocked" Missy defended.

"Let me rephrase, when do you knock and not enter immediately afterwards?"

Missy glanced down and fiddled with the handle of the heavy black bag she was carrying and thats when Dick saw it… she was nervous too.

So Dick did the first thing that came to his mind, he pulled her in for a hug. Her bag slumped to the floor and Missy froze in surprise. Dick was never the one to initiate contact, it was always Missy. Apart from spectacular rare occasions. But here they were, in the door way, the raven haired boy hugging a shock-stilled ginger into his chest.

When Dick moved away he had a small smile on his face and Missy just looked him with big eyes, "What was that?"

"Thought I would hug some sense into you and return you to the annoying ginger I know" Dick said.

Missy eyes narrowed but a smirk broke out on her face, "Someones being cheeky today".

Dick just shrugged and moved from the door to let Missy in. Missy picked up her bag and moved into the apartment, her bag finally landing with a thump on the ground next to the arm chair. She turned to Dick, "You sure you want to do this?" Did could see the slight worry in Missy's features again, she was waiting for Dick to give the all clear. Letting Dick control the situation, but Dick knew he needed this. He needed this change. To feel like he had ownership of himself again.

So he lifted his shirt and pulled it over his head. All of his scars visible. The slices, burns and whips criss-crossing over his body, with a shiny 'S' shape taking centre stage. And of course Dick felt self-conscious. His cheeks wanted to burn with humiliation for anyone seeing him like this, to see how weak he actually was. But this was Missy. If anyone could look past it… Dick sure as hell hoped it was her.

"Yes," he said.

Missy's eyes ghosted over him, stopping on his chest where the ever present 'S' was and Dick could see her eyes narrow, he just hoped it wasn't in disgust. But they eventually moved away and locked with Dick's, "Okay then" she replied.

She bent down and started opening her bag and grabbing the things that she needed and setting up the table. She grabbed something from her pocket and threw it at Dick. She had absolutely no aim when she tossed it but Dick still caught anyways. "Plug that in so we can have some music and then go get that wheelie chair from your room."

Dick gave a little salute to the orders, liking seeing Missy in control and in her element. He plugged the iPod into his speakers, which Missy had insisted on getting. She was still trying to educate him in music. He flicked through the place lists until he found one that Missy had made specifically for him and hit play.

Then he went to get the chair, but before coming back he took a deep breath banishing away the worst of his nerves. But he stopped in the door way, captivated by the ginger busily setting up her inks, machines and laying down some sheets to make the chair somewhat clean. They had talked about doing this in the shop but Dick wasn't ready for that. He may be brave enough to show Missy his scars but he wasn't quiet ready for anything else. So he was thankful when they come up in this solution.

"Hope you're not chickening out on me over there." Missy commented without even glancing in his direction.

"You got eyes in the back of you head?"

"You're avoiding the question." Missy replied finally swinging around to face him with hands on her hips. Dick raised his hands, "Not at all".

He moved into the room with the chair in tow and Missy gave him a small smile, "Good, now sit"

Dick sat down in the arm chair and Missy propositioned herself in the wheelie chair. She had moved anything that might have gotten in her way with the exception of the table with all of her equipment on it and positioned it to the left of Dick.

Missy took some alcohol wipes from her bag, but her eyes glanced up to Dick's before she used it,"This is going to be cold" she warned before wiping it across the left side of his chest. Then she paused, taking in the extent of the burn and her eyes narrowing again. Dick identify the emotion this time. It wasn't disgust, it was anger. Dick gently grabbed her hand which made her eyes lift to his again. Dick gave her small smile trying to communicate across he was okay.

Missy nodded her head in understanding and wiped the alcohol wipe over the scar and his chest then wheeled her chair back to her bag, "Okay so this is what I came up with, but if you want to change anything just tell me" Missy showed Dick the stencil she had and his eyes looked at it in surprise.

Missy twitched at the reaction, "Just remember that this is just the stencil they'll be colouring and shading but if you don't like it I can start from scratch or I can recommend someone else, there are a lot of great artists and…" Missy kept on speaking.

Dick hadn't registered anything Missy was saying. Too distracted by the drawing but once he finally pulled his focus away he could tell Missy was nervously rambling. It took longer then it really should have done, but Dick finally understood. Missy was confident only about certain things. When it came to herself and putting herself and her skills forward she always shied away. Scared of putting herself under spotlight and then begin ridiculed and rejected. It was why it took a day for Dick to finally convince her she was the one he wanted to tattoo him.

It was cute really. How such a strong women like Missy was so insecure about certain things, not wanting to let anyone down. So Dick interrupted her rambling, "Missy… it's perfect."

Missy ducked her head, blush crawling up her neck as she replied "Okay". _Yep, definitely cute_ Dick thought.

Missy peeled off the stencil and indicated Dick to stand up. She carefully placed the stencil on his chest so it covered the entirety of his scar. Once she was happy with the placement she indicated for him to sit down and she set up her liner tattoo machine, checking it was working. The buzzing wasn't the most comforting noise but Dick trusted Missy. Instead choosing to focus on the music softly playing.

"Okay get comfy and just relax. It's not that bad" she said and when the needle from the tattoo gun touched his skin Dick found the pain manageable. Missy had already warned Dick that scarred skin was harder to tattoo over because it was more sensitive and could inflame easily.

It was silent between them for a moment as Missy started the outline, the buzzing sound from the tattoo gun and soft music from the speakers the only things filling the silence.

"So… tell me about Jason". Missy suddenly asked while wiping away a bit of excess ink.

Dick was surprised by the question, "What do you want to know?"

Missy shrugged her shoulders. The blue eyed boy thought for a second, "I met him because he was trying to dodge some people he had stolen from." Missy rose an eyebrow but didn't take her eyes off the tattoo. "He sat down at a table in a cafe I was at and just told me to play along. Then three huge guys came in looking for him so I pretended we were brothers."

Missy smiled, her eyes briefly flickered up at him then down again, "Then what happened?" she asked.

"I was able to convince them to leave him alone and then brought him a sandwich."

"Arh the way to anybodies heart, food" Missy smiled while she dipped her needle into some black ink again, "So began the beginning of your friendship I guess?"

Dick tried not to shift in his chair at that question, "Not really. I only met him a couple of times after that."

"Wow, guess he left a big impression."

"Yeah" Dick thought for a second, "I just felt like myself when I was around him. I was protective of him and we were never really friends or anything but… yeah I guess he impacted me a lot more them I thought. And I forgot about that feeling until the other day."

"That feeling of flying" Missy said with a grin and Dick rolled his eyes at her mocking him. "Okay laugh it up. It's the best way I can describe it" and Missy did let out a soft chuckle while Dick tried to keep a straight annoyed face at her, unsuccessfully.

There was a beat of silence but soon Missy was filling it. She wheeled herself towards her bag and pulled out a box, opening it and pulled out a tattoo gun and handed to Dick. Dick gently took it and turned it over in his hand, it was quite old and seemed to have seen better days due to some dents and scratched. But it was clear that it was well taken care of it as it was clean and had been buffed to shine. Dick rolled it over in his hands and saw something on the side, he squinted his eyes to see it.

"It read's 'Do what you love'" Missy said. She moved back to her his chest, now with a shader tattoo machine getting ready for the next part of Dicks eyes fell on it and Dick wondered how she could focus on the task of drawing so intently while she continued talking, "My sister always caught me doodling. In books, scraps of paper, napkins. I got in trouble so many times at school for doodling rather then taking notes."

Missy wiped some ink away again being as gentle as she could. She looked intently at what she was tattooing making sure it was okay before continuing, "My sister always said to pursue it but my reply was always 'find me the right job." She smiled a little, "And one day she did."

She re-dipped her needle into the ink, "She gave me that tattoo gun with that inscribed in it and just said, 'Found it'. Soon after I started an apprenticeship while working on going to university. But after everything, I was miserable at uni but when I got the chance to work here I hooped over the pond and didn't look back."

Dick absorbed all the words. She made it sound so simple to start over. To leave and begin again. Maybe it was that simple, just not that easy. Dick guessed getting that job offer was her starting point of beginning again, Dick wasn't really sure what his was.

Missy quickly glanced up at him, "What are you thinking?" she asked.

"I was just thinking how brave you were, it couldn't have been easy" Dick said, tried to suppress a wince when the needle cross a particularly painful part of his scar. Missy saw this, "Sorry".

Dick just waved it off. Missy thought for a second. "To be honest, yeah it was scary and hard but as soon as I realised what I liked and had a road to follow, it was pretty easy."

"I know I want to help people. I just don't know how." Dick said.

The ginger scrunched up her face as she thought for a bit while tattooing. Biting her tongue in concentration. Soon enough the buzzing of the gun was gone as she fully focused on Dick again, "Do you enjoy working at a bar?" She asked.

Dick's reply came out quicker then he wanted it to, "God no, it's so boring." Missy smiled and Dick couldn't help but join her.

"Okay then," she said, "well why don't you teach self defence." The blue eyed boy rose an eyebrow at that suggestion. It was such a random suggestion.

"Don't give me that look" the ginger defended, "one, you can obviously fight as demonstrated a couple of times. Two, crime is high in Bludhaven so people need to be taught how to defend themselves properly, C…"

"Think you meant three Missy," Dick interrupted only to be shushed.

"C," she said purposefully, "I saw a poster on my way over here wanting new instructors and thought of you and cuatro." Dick rolled his eyes at her eccentrics. "It's a midday and early afternoon job so it'll give you plenty of time for any nightly escapades you want to do."

Dick's eyebrows furrowed at Missy's last statement. She quickly looked away, picking up the tattoo gun again and this time dipping it in the red ink, stepping on the power peddle and a humming of the gun coming to life started again. However Dick was too distracted with what Missy meant by that last comment to really notice the needle touching his skin again.

"Missy, what do you mean" he asked.

Missy was now intently looking at his tattoo when she replied, refusing to look at his face. "I'm not that dumb Dick".

"What do you mean by that?" Dick asked again his palms getting slightly sweaty not really sure if he wanted to know how much she had figured out. Missy shrugged and carried on tattooing. So he gently placed his hand over hears and pulled the tattoo gun away from his chest. "Missy…"

She sighed, "All I'm saying is that I wouldn't be so surprised if you liked wearing capes and tights when you were little" was all she said. Dick's mouth hung open slightly, his mind now spinning with how Missy could possible know anything.

Missy seemed to see this thought train, "You are an insanely good fighter, don't flinch when a knife is pointed at you, can easily snap a guys wrist, defiantly have a hero complex combined with the self-sacrificing idiot phenomena, was in the circus, have a fake identity," Dick was about to defend himself but was sidelined, "Common Dick you don't think I noticed everyone calls you Mickey or Mick in the bar?" She rose an eyebrow and Dick hung his head in defeat. He had forgotten about that little flaw of telling Missy his true nickname, "Also this tattoo was kinda of the last indicator."

The blush only grew now, he hesitantly looked at her feeling a bit stupid, "Is it really that obvious?" he asked.

Missy rested her hand against his cheek, a small smile on her face. "Only because I know you so well. I like puzzles and I can read people, why do you think I always beat you when we play cards."

"Because you cheat" he mumbled. Missy lightly slapped his arm. "No cause you're a lousy liar. You're like a kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar." Dick didn't really wanted to admit that to be true, but he knew it was. He couldn't outright lie, only manipulate the truth.

A random thought occurred to Dick, "What where you studying at uni?"

"Philosophy and psychology with a major in criminology" she replied bashfully and Dick couldn't help but throw his hands up, "Of course I've been sharing my life with a profiler."

Missy smiled and gosh did Dick love when she smiled like that, "Its why we get along so well bartender. Cause lets face it you are not the most forthcoming person."

Missy looked at his chest again, she hovered her finger over the edge of the burnt 'S'. It was mostly covered in ink now, could barely see it, but the ridged were still there, "Not that I blame you" she whispered.

Missy went back to her drawing and Dick just focused on the buzzing of the gun. Thoughts slowly crossing his head. Missy knew about his past, to an extent. She had her suspicions but what was nice was that she didn't ask for him to confirm or deny them. Just from that Dick knew she would keep her suspicions to herself. There was something comforting that at least someone knew him so well.

He then though about her suggestion with the self defence job idea. It was a good option. It would give him more drive in life and help him stay connected to the world by teaching people, but it wasn't enough. Dick wanted to do more. He needed to do more. Dick guessed Missy knew this too.

But now was the next problem. If he was to start his nightly escapades again who should he be? He needed to remain invisible and not draw attention to himself. Really he didn't need a name or persona but something felt fundamentally wrong with going out as just Dick Grayson. Going out as someone else was like wearing body armour. It was easier.

He couldn't be Robin. Dick had known this for a long time but it still sent a twinge through his heart. Robin was his mothers name for him. Robin was such a big part of him that had been ripped away. It was his childhood but that was the problem he was no longer a child.

The obvious answer then was to just be himself. Be Dick Grayson. That would always be his name but he hadn't been anything that felt like Dick Grayson for so long now. He was still just gaining the building blocks in figuring out who he was. So how was he supposed to help others when he couldn't even figure out how to help himself.

"Missy." Dick licked his dry lips but suddenly he had no idea what he should ask. What he should say? How on earth could he say what was on his mind without sounding like some sought of complete psycho. It isn't right for your life to be dictated by other personas but that was how he was raised by Batman and thats how he survived Slade. So how could he move on when being Dick Grayson didn't mean anything. Not like it should.

"Do you know why I call myself Missy?" the ginger suddenly asked. Dick shook his head.

"My sister always called me Missy. She couldn't pronounce my real name and frankly it's really embarrassing so she always called me Missy. When she died I started to introduce myself as that because… it makes me happy. Its like I always have a bit of her with me."

"Huh" Dick commented, "Thats the same for me. My mother used to call me something and then I called myself that name to remind me who I wanted to be."

Missy wiped away some ink, "So who do you want to be Dick? What name do you want to claim."

Dick felt like he could get whip lash with the number of times Missy said something which was exactly what he was thinking about. It was times like these Dick was thankful but a bit annoyed with how easily Missy seemed to guess what was on his mind. But thinking back to the question, "I don't know."

Missy nodded, pulling away from Dick to change needles and re-dipping it in the ink. She looked at Dick for a second, cocking her head to the side while she studied him. "You know having another 'name'," she said while using her fingers to indicate air quotes, "is fine. But you can't use it to hide away from the world. You're not helping yourself or healing if you do that."

"Then what should it be?" Dick asked, always curious of the ginger's world view.

"It should be a reminder. Of what you're striding towards. Let it be a shield so you can grow and get stronger behind it."

Dick blinked as he took it in, "So I should have a mask, not to hide who I am, but to create what I am." Dick mumbled and immediately felt stupid for such a philosophical bullshitty sentence to come out of his mouth. He would have face palmed if he hadn't stopped to see Missy's small smirk.

"Believe I said shield but, yeah guess you summed it up pretty well." The smirk was still there and Dick rolled his eyes to hide his embarrassment. For some reason Missy could say stuff like that and get away with it, but not Dick. He just sounded like some hippy poet on his computer trying to write poetry drinking over priced coffee in a cafe.

But ignoring that, it was a good point. Dick didn't know who he was so maybe he should create something to strive towards for now but what? Missy's physic link must have been in overdrive today because as she pulled herself closer to Dick again and started on the tattoo again she said, "You remember that story you told me the first night we met?"

Dick scrunched up his eyes trying to remember but it was so long ago and there had been so many conversations in between he ended up shaking his head.

"You said your uncle told you stories of two figures, vigilantes that were outcasts but said screw the system and rose up to be great heroes."

Dick nodded. He had forgotten he had told Missy some of those stories. He always loved it when Clark used to come over and tell him those stories. At the beginning when Dick was barely 8, Clark used to pick him and make him believe he was flying. They would re-enact those adventures he talked about.

The was a sweet but bitter smile on Dicks face as those memories surfaced in his mind. They were good memories but Dick missed times like those. He missed that life when he felt safe. He was brought back by a cold sensation on his chest, Missy was wiping away some excess ink.

"Yeah" Dick responded softly.

Missy let out a small smile then bit her lip, obvious nervous about what she wanted to say next. She put her tattoo gun to the side and while she was looking away she said, "Well, do you wanna be the Nightwing to my Flamebird?" she mumbled.

Dick barely heard her but he was able to make it out and the look on Missy's face, seeing her unsure and a bit embarrassed as her pale skin showed effortless blush growing there had Dick asking, "Sorry, what did you say?"

Missy huffed, knowing Dick was just playing with her but repeated it again. This time looking Dick in the eye, "Do you want to be the Nightwing to my Flamebird."

And Dick couldn't help the smile growing into a grin on his face. It was perfect. Nothing had seemed so right like that suggestion did for quite some time. Apart from meeting Missy of course.

"Why do you get to be Flamebird?" Dick asked. A slight teasing tone in his voice.

Missy rolled her eyes and then pointed to her hair, "Duh, Flamebird for the ginger" then she pointed to Dick, "Nightwing for the boy with night sky hair." Dick caught her hand as it pointed at him.

"Its perfect" he grinned. A true, honest, happy, grin.

They both shared a smile. A new understanding between them. Between Flamebird and Nightwing. It felt personal for Dick, his own secret with Missy. A new connection between them and for the thousandth of times he was so glad he had met her and that she had stuck by him. And somewhere, Dick knew Missy felt the same.

The moment lasted until Dick's eyes finally caught the shadows entering his apartment. It was turning into evening, the day gone in a blur of buzzing and conversations. "You should probably get this tattoo done Missy" he said.

But Missy just smirked rolling her self to her stuff and starting to dismantle her guns, "Its done Bartender."

Dick sprung up and walked to the mirror that hung on the inside of his closet door. Nerves gnawing at his stomach. Then he finally saw it and It was perfect.

Gone was the ugly "S" that marked him as Slade's. Branded like a piece of live stock. Now in its place was a bird in full flight. Beautifully done, with smooth transitions of black to grey to his skin tone, with hints of red touching the tips of both wings. It completely covered what was once there. It was perfect and Dick couldn't help his eyes watering up a bit. He finally felt like it was his own skin again. True there were still dozens and dozen of other scars which many people could still stare at, but this little bird was his. It was him. And it was done by someone he loved.

Dick looked at himself. And he felt good. He felt he had finally made some progress for himself. He looked at his black hair and blue eyes, that were shinning due to the tears gathering there. No longer quite so disgusted with his reflection.

'Nightwing' he thought to himself. He loved it. He wasn't a Robin anymore. He never could be that again. He had done too many disgusting things to want to tannish his mother's name for him. And really that name belonged to Jason for how ever long he had had it. Maybe someone else would take up the mantle. But now, he was Nightwing. His own person and while he worked as Nightwing he knew he could grow confidence at Dick Grayson again. Someone who could stand up for himself without a ginger always being his shield.

He walked back to the room. Missy was still packing up her things but she heard him come in. As she turned towards him she started to say, "So is it okay…"

Dick pulled her into a hug, burying his head into her neck, leaving no space between. Missy immediately wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Thank you Missy," he uttered again and again quietly into her neck. It wasn't just for the tattoo. It was for everything. Everything she had done. He was so indebted to her for pulling him out of his own head. He didn't want to think about where he would be without her. He knew this was the difference between surviving and living and that sometimes you just need someone to give you a good kick to get you back on track.

Dick didn't realise the wet spot on Missy's shoulder growing as tears rolled down and landed there but Missy didn't mind. She felt her heart grow from being in Dick's arms and what he was saying.

"It's alright Bartender. I'll always be here."

They would both always be there for each other. It was Nightwing and Flamebird together always, ready to battle their own demons and what ever the world threw at them. They could do it as long as they had the other to lean on.

* * *

Today was a sad day. But the right thing to do. It wasn't goodbye, just a see you later. But neither knew for how long.

The ginger and dark haired boy stood in the airport, the gates before security. Missy setting her backpack on the floor, passport and ticket in hand, nervous energy rolling off her. It was a hard trip home. But she needed to do it. For herself and Dick wasn't going to be selfish and make her stay.

He was fiddling with the his house keys. The only thing that was in his pocket. Missy caught a sight of them and tilted her head, "Hey you kept the keying I threw at you" she said with a smile mixed with a bit of surprise. She really just gave it to him to try and make him go away at the time, they really didn't mean anything important.

Dick nodded his head, looking away in shyness, "Yeah I wanted something of you" he mumbled.

Missy smiled, touched by the gesture. Gosh, she was going to miss him. She pulled something out of her back pocket, "Well I guess this is a bit useless now but here you go." Dick looked up and took what she was holding.

He flipped it over and was surprised to see it was an iPod. He unlocked it and flicked through. It had so many artists and bands from every genre you would think off. He looked up a bit gobsmacked.

Missy shrugged her shoulders, "You still have no taste in music and I had a spare. Thought you should continue your education".

"You're too good for me Missy."

"Don't I know it" she replied, she looked down at her shoes while pushing a piece of hair behind her hair, "I'm gonna miss you Dick" she said softly, not really wanting to admit to herself that she was leaving.

Dick wrapped his arms around her shoulders, and she immediately went into the hug. "Me too." They stayed there for a couple of minutes until Missy pulled away and seemed to shake off the sadness of the moment. She looked behind her as if checking the gate was still there before turning back to Dick.

"You'll see me again bartender," she said and Dick smiled, "I know," he replied.

"And Dick," she begun, "let Nightwing be the ultimate middle finger to everyone who every hurt you. Show them how strong and amazing and free you are" she said in a bit of a rush feeling embarrassed but her eyes shone telling Dick to do what he needed to do.

Dick nodded his head. They hugged again and Missy picked up her bag from the floor and started to walk away, "Bye Bartender".

Watching her go was hard. She had become such an important part of his life and had given him so much. So before she got too far away Dick shouted, "Missy." She turned around. "I love you".

Missy face beamed, "I know" she replied and then moved past the gates, starting to disappear in the crowd but she still heard a distant reply of, "Did you just Hans Solo me?!"

Missy laughed.

* * *

 _In a Mountain Far Far away…_

"Team you have a mission."

* * *

 _A.N. I know its been too long again but I can't make any promises when I can update. I've been so busy with uni work and essay deadlines there just wasn't time. But to be fair I just gave you one hell of a chapter. Breakdowns, make ups, The origin of Nightwing and Flamebird. Dick getting his first tattoo. A surprise drop in by Tim. Jason mentioned. Star Wars reference. What I hope was a heartfelt goodbye. Plus I got the title of this story into the chapter and a spoiler for the chapter to come so hopefully that makes up for my long absence._

 _Anyway, please please comment, tell me what you think. Rant, whatever._

 _On a side note, I'm looking for a beta reader. I don't really know what that entails as you can see this is my first ever fanfic but I know I really need one as you can tell my grammar and spelling aren't perfect and I do have dyslexia so it makes it hard for me to spot the mistakes. Anyway let me know if you like to help me out! And please tell me what your role would actually entail cause I'm a bit fuzzy on the details. If you've done this type of thing before perfect. Anyway message me if you're interest!_

 _Thanks for still reading!_


	36. It's Been A While (Where Are We Now?)

**_Previously on Things Change_**

 _Dick was kicked out by Batman, Dick was kidnapped by Slade. Dick presumed dead. Everyone struggles to move on._

 _Barbara becomes Batgirl. Slade tortures Dick mentally and physical. He's a master manipulator and tactician. Dick doesn't stand a chance. Dick becomes Slade's apprentice Renegade. Dick has killed people in order to save who he could._

 _Dick meets Jason Todd. Dick helps Jason Todd meet Batman. Jason is adopted by Bruce and becomes Robin. Jason is killed by Joker. Batman almost kills Joker but Dick sends Catwomen to help him from making a mistake._

 _Jason's death inspires Dick to take back his life. He kills Slade. Turns out Slade can't be killed, but he is in prison (suicide squad;). Dick is screwed. Dick runs away to Bludhaven, can't face family since he's a murder and he isn't really Dick Grayson anymore._

 _Gets new life there but it sucks. Meets Missy (OC) fiery, red head who helps Dick sort out his life. Lots of pep talks and healing. Missy gives Dick idea to assume role of 'Nightwing'. Sad parting of ways but both leave knowing they love each other but need to sort out things in their own lives._

 _Then months went by as the writer of this story didn't write or post anything as she got too scared and overwhelmed and kept on chickening out of writing but finally got off her lazy ass because she got some amazing inspiring comments from: Femme Fatale On Ice, Smaragdine-Margarine and a guest commenter which lead me to finally said, "you know what I want to finish this story!" So thanks for those comments and for all the ones that came before it. And for everyone that has every bothered to comment on this fanfiction._

 _Warning chapter not beta and I_ _will be e-mailing back to people that have offered to beta very soon! Anyway warning for spelling and grammar but you guys know what I'm like by now._

 _Anyways… if you are still here reading this bless you and on with the show!_

* * *

 **Chapter 36: It's Been A While (Where Are We Now?)**

The beat of the music seemed to resonate in her chest. She was standing in a dark room with random, flashing lights and the smell of alcohol and sweat mingling together as waves of heat rolled off from the crowd of dancing figures. All these factors bombarded her senses, but only added to the atmosphere of the club. Blue eyes flickered around as she tried to soaked it all in. She felt her body swaying of its own accord to the hypnotic pulsing rhythm of the club. Alcohol loosening her muscles and a smile creeping on her face. She loved it in here.

She took another sip of her drink and used her advantage point at the bar to try and find her friends scattered across the room. She was _trying_ to be the responsible one so her friends could finally loosen up and have a goodnight out, but she was never really one to mother hen others. Still she was just glad she had convinced them to come out. They seemed to forget they were actually teenagers even if they saved the world every other week.

Artemis and Wally were being digesting cute on the dance floor. Arms wrapped around the other and either locking lips, touching forehead or gazing into each others eyes. It was cute to see them so in love but not a scene Zatanna needed to watch for too long.

Connor was out on the balcony with the other smokers. In hindsight Zatanna could see that maybe this wasn't the place to bring Connor with his advanced hearing, eyesight and bla bla bla. She could understand why this place wasn't very appealing to him.

Also the fact that Megan was dancing very intimately with a guy she met ten minutes ago. Since their break up it was almost impossible to get them into a room together. At least Connor liked chatting with the smokers who always seemed talkative since he had that whole broody-cool-looking-dude-vibe going for him.

And finally there was their fearless leader Kaldur, who was at the other end of the bar looking the least comfortable out of all of them. He was content to just watch other people for the night while trying to understand the human custom of getting black out drunk. However Zatanna swore sometime tonight she would get him to do some shots and made sure he enjoyed himself as well.

Then there was her. The beautiful, magically gifted Zatanna. Recent addiction to this disfunction team. Having a great time and in her element.

Zatanna was slightly missing Barbara. She liked the team as a whole but they were all so… impenetrable. It was like they all had a linking, unified shield she couldn't get under. Her and Barbara felt the same way so it was good to have a friend who was an outsider to their little group. She liked them all but at times she just felt like a third wheel unless she had Barbara there but no Miss Batgirl just had to get an awesome assignment in Japan and leave her all alone.

The magician was shaken from her sulky mood when a change of song occurred that was more upbeat then the last, making Zatanna decide to focus on the positive. She could call everyone here a friend and she knew they saw her the same way. Artemis didn't mind ditching Wally for a night to hang out with her. Megan always offered her baked goods. Connor and her could spend time in comfortable silence and Kaldur was always checking up on her.

Zatanna eyes flickered over to Kaldur and she decided to indulge herself by admiring those strong swimmer arms of his. But as she indulged his godly arms she realised his eyes were locked onto something in the crowd. _Someone?_ She tried scanning the crowd to see what he was staring at so intently but couldn't see anything in particular. Getting a bit worried about the Atlantean she shifted from her position and moved over to him and tapped him on his shoulder.

Kaldur shifted his gaze to her =when he felt her touch. Upon seeing her confused expression, he tried to smile and shrug it off not wanting to bother her but Zatanna could see he was worried about something.

"What is it?" she said but the music was too loud drowning out her voice.

Kaldur held up his hands trying to indicate to her to leave it but Zatanna didn't want Kaldur feeling alone so sent a quick text to Megan to set up a mind link.

A minute later she felt the others presences in her mind. It was like a small bubble growing inside of her head that rippled when the other's spoke. Zatanna was used to the sensation now but sometimes she wished they used com links, those where less distracting.

"What is it Kaldur?" Megan sounded annoyed. She was moving to the side of the room, away from her touchy dance partner, so she could concentrate.

It was clear Artemis and Wally were linked up too as they had stepped away from each, no longer in their own personal world where they could freely touch one another without feeling awkward.

Superboy had stepped into the doorway so he could see what was going on.

"I think something bad is about to happen" Kaldur said, his eyes refocusing on what he was staring at before.

"You interrupted us because you 'think' something is wrong" Artemis snarked, feeling impatient with this sudden intrusion.

"Shut up Artemis" Zatanna said in defence of Kaldur. With Artemis is was always best to slap her down from her arrogant talk a bit as Artemis didn't mean to sound harsh, she just did.

"What is it Kaldur?" Connor asked to avoid any further bickering. After the breakup with Megan the Atlantean and Kryptonian seemed to have become closer. Each spending more time with the other then they had beforehand. Enjoying each others silent company. Kaldur teaching Connor chess and Connor teaching Kaldur about bikes. Zatanna guessed thats what heart break did, it made unlikely friendships stronger.

Kaldur nodded his head in appreciation to Connor and Zatanna. "There are four suspicious people that have been scanning this area for a while and I believe they just found their target".

This grabbed everyones attention. Aqualad was always good at sussing out a threat so though they didn't want to give up on their free night out it looked like their classic success with luck was running strong again.

"What makes them suspicious?" Artemis no longer sounded annoyed or doubting Kaldur's observation.

"None of them have been drinking, all have been at advantage points since they arrived 15 minutes ago, sticking to the sides while scanning all areas of the club. None engaging with others or any of the activities here."

"Where are they now?" Zatanna asked straining her eyes trying to see who Kaldur was talking about while sipping her vodka and coke cause… come on she had paid for it and she wasn't about to get any less drunk any time soon.

"One by the stairs, one by the toliets, one in the far corner of the dance floor and another in the crowd. All wearing black clothing"

The black clothing didn't really narrow down the options since it was the go to colour for most of the people here but Artemis was able to spot them, assassin training coming in handy right about now.

"Got them, they keep touching their ears so they probably have coms in and…" Artemis shifted to get a better look, "…crap the one on the dance floor has a gun."

Zatanna finally caught sight of the one on the dance floor and true to what Artemis observed he did indeed have a gun. His jacket had shifted up to reveal the weapon in his waistband.

"What should we do?" Megan asked, finally dripping her annoyed expression and focusing on the possible threat, "I can read their minds?"

"Unnecessary" Aqualad shut her down. "I want this sorted in a way that doesn't draw attention to us. The main aim is to find out who they are looking for."

Zatanna tried to scan the crowd to see where the man was heading but turned out the alcohol had made her vision a little blurry. ' _Opps…'_

"Aqualad ten o'clock," Artemis chimed in again, "brown hair, grey button down. They're all seem to be heading towards him. That's their target." In times like these Zatanna blessed Artemis for her assassin training. The magician wished she could identify possible threats and victims like Aqualad and Artemis could.

It took longer then Zatanna was willing to admit but she finally saw the person Artemis had mentioned. He was medium height and build, dancing freely, head hanging back with a smile on his face. Picture of perfect (ignorance) innocence. Completely unaware of any threat heading his way.

"What do we do?" Connor's deep voice sounded. He was still by the door but looked ready to set off across the room on the drop of the word.

Kaldur's grey eyes looked at all the targets. Assessed. Calculated. Then came up with a plan. "We can't draw attention so we need to remove the threats and get the potential victim out of here." Aqualad thought out loud.

They all nodded in agreement but they weren't sure how to this without being suspicious. The dead silence indicating none of them had any idea of how to get this plan into action. Zatanna rolled her eyes. These guys really missed the obvious sometimes. "Guys we're in a club. Someone just go over and dance with the possible target and then get him outside away from the threats."

There was a sudden tension as all the eyes turned towards the girls. Of course this is when the red-head of the team spoke up. "You're up babe" he said with a hide grin on his face at the idea of his girlfriend 'attempting' to be seductive.

"I'm not seducing him!" Artemis said aloud, forgetting about the mind link and drawing some startled looks around her. The blonde quickly ducked her head determined not to feel embarrassed by her outburst. "Just get Megan to do it. She was already happy to have 'fun' with some else."

Zatanna eyes flicked to Superboy, he was still static in his position but there was a tension rolling off of him that was readable to everyone and sent a couple of smokers shuffling away from him.

"Hey what makes you think I'll do it" Megan asked, not likely what Artemis was implying.

The girls bickered back and forth with Wally throwing in his two cents just to get a rise out of both girls. He was enjoying winding them up far too much. Aqualad rolled his eyes and rested his hand against his forehead. Zatanna felt bad for him. They all knew he just wanted to be left alone tonight but they had dragged him out and now he was having a three way bitch fight in his head as he tried to concentrate.

Zatanna let her eyes fall back to the target. ' _He wasn't bad looking'_ Zatanna thought as she started to get ready to cross the floor towards the target to put an end to the bickering. However she never got the chance as another figure was suddenly dancing with their target.

Now this new figure was someone Zatanna wouldn't mind seducing. A sinfully tight blue t-shirt showed off a killer body with rock hard abs and strong arms. Black, messy hair falling seemingly perfectly in front of his face. Zatanna couldn't help but lick her lips as she watched him dance fluidly with the music with grace and ease. Though Zatanna could quite happily continue watching she couldn't ignore that that the strangers hands where now wrapped around their targets waist as their bodies pressed even closer. Oh. _Oh._

"Guys, you're not his type" Zatanna interrupted the bickering. Megan and Artemis's eyes snapped towards Zatanna. They may have been auguring on who was supposed to be seducing the guy but they didn't like Zatanna implying they were undesirable. Zatanna was starting to understand why Aqualad always got headaches. "Look" she said.

They all looked over and saw the target's new dance partner and the pin dropped. Now it was Artemis turn to smirk, "Looks like you're up Wally."

Wally started spluttering but Aqualad interrupted his ramblings, "The windows closed, one of the threats is 10 paces away from the target. We need a distraction and to intercept each threatening figure. Everyone pick the one closest to you. Zatanna and I will go to the possible victim. "

"We might need a distraction" commented Connor.

Now Zatanna had an idea for a distraction, so without asking for permission she got up on a bar stool and shouted, "Free drinks on me!" which was received with many cheers and catcalls.

Zatanna pulled out one of her playing cards from her pocket and whispered "egnahc otni a tiderc drac". The ace of spades she was holding suddenly turned into a black, sleek credit card that she slammed down on the bar behind her with a big smile on her face. Yeah, magic was awesome.

Since now everyone knew she was serious about her offer there was a suddenly movement of people towards the bar ready to collect their free drinks. Aqualad took her hand helping her down from the chair, leading them away from the now busy bar.

"Good thinking." Aqualad thought through the mind link and Zatanna only shrugged trying to hide her pleased smile at the complement. It was a club, people where easy to manipulate in it.

Zatanna scanned the club for the possible victim. She finally saw the grey shirt she was looking for and saw the target being lead out of the back door by the mysterious, hot - could Zatanna empathises how hot he was enough - stranger. She grabbed Aqualad's arm and started to pull him in their direction, weaving in and out of the crowd until they reached the back door too.

At the door Kaldur halted Zatanna so he would be the first to go out. Which was good as as soon as they left the warmth of the club a body was pushed into them. The man slumped into Kaldur who then lowered him to the ground. The man was unconscious and the alleyway was in chaos.

The potential target/victim was cowering beside some garbage bins. Three unknown men, mostly likely backup for the kidnapping, were also there along with an open door van which was parked at the end of the street. But the most surprising thing was the leaping shadow that was darting and making easy work of all the unknown figures while protecting the scared figure.

Aqualad having now observed all this information launched himself into the fight without another seconds hesitation. While Zatanna was still a bit mesmerised by the leaping figure in blue. He seemed to have as much ease and grace in a fight as he did on the dance floor. But she was pulled away from her admiration of the lithe figure when he suddenly ran to the figure in the grey shirt and started to pull him to his feet with the intention of getting him out of the alley.

Zatanna was about to take off after them when she was suddenly hit in the face by one of the thugs. Her head snapped to the side as pain flared through her face. She focused on her attacker and shouted, "llaf nwod won" sending him with a satisfying smack to the floor.

Knowing Kaldur had the rest of the thugs sorted she took off after the two figures running away. But as she exited the alley onto the street she saw both figures on a motorbike. The one up front was about to put his helmet on, the one with the blue shirt.

The mysterious figure paused in his action and had the nerve to send her a wink before putting his helmet on and speeding away. Some part of Zatanna's mind knew she should stop his bike or follow him or put a tracking spell on him but she was too slow to do anything. She was out of breath, her head was thumping with the pain from the punch and - even though she would leave this part out later - she was sort of hypnotised by a pair of mysterious clear blue eyes she had just seen.

* * *

The team's attempt at being discrete had completely failed with the club shutting down early and the police now taking eight tight lipped thugs away. However, all in all, this was one of their smoother missions considering they were all varying degrees of drunk. Which was highlighted when Wally said maybe they should always do shots before each mission. This lead to Artemis whacking him on the head.

With nothing else being able to be done tonight they all decided to head back to the mountain. All left with questions of what had actually occurred tonight and who was the mysterious figure in blue? And why was someone nearly kidnapped?

* * *

Connor poured his second cup of coffee after immediately downing his first. He knew it was a weird hour to drink coffee but he liked the taste and caffeine never effected him anyway. He was about to walk to his room when he bumped into Megan.

"Oh" she exhaled while he fumbled making sure no coffee spilled. Once they had both righted themselves a heavy silence fell.

Superboy always held himself with confidence or with an attitude of 'I-don't-care'. He had to otherwise people would try and walk all over him. He would get hurt too much if he didn't with everyones disapproving stares or thinking he was freak for being a clone or a threat that needed to be locked away. He couldn't let people try and manipulate him after everything he went through with Luther. He tried to keep the world as black and white as possible. There were people he wanted to punch and he people he wanted to protect.

But when standing here with Megan, the girl that broke his heart, messed with his mind and betrayed his trust suddenly the world wasn't so black and white as he wanted it to be.

On one hand he just wanted to kiss her and hold her. Go back to simpler times when Megan would openly be sweet and kind with him and he could feel like he could trust her with everything. But then he would remember, that girl he loves wasn't here anymore. The sweet girl that blushed so easily when he looked her way. Instead she had turned into someone he couldn't trust, someone who didn't think what they were doing was wrong.

Connor remembered Megan's first victim, a drug dealer who had information they needed. A bad guy that had done bad things. But Megan had ripped that information out of his head and left him a drooling mess on the floor that couldn't form a single sentence. Connor covered it up thinking Megan had just made a mistake. He thought it was a one off mistake.

It happened two more times. Each time Megan never even said she was sorry. They had several arguments about it and with each fight it drove them further and further away from each other. Connor thought him breaking up with her would help her realise what she had done was wrong. How serious it was that she was abusing her power. He thought she would try and fight for him. Instead she just tried to whip his memories. A full two weeks of blissfulness before Connor discovered what happened and they could never go back.

He kept it all a secret from the team, with the exception of Kaldur who he vaguely hinted to about not letting Megan use her power unnecessarily, but that was it. He still loved her, he just couldn't be with her. He could barely be around her.

Megan looked at the coffee in his hands, oblivious to his inner conflict he always had when she was around. "You shouldn't drink that. You'll stay up all night."

His eyes suddenly burned into hers, his jaw clenched and cup close to shattering, but he made no move to reply.

"Connor…" she started to say but he brushed past her intent on just going to his room. When he got to his room he watched his coffee go cold as he stayed seated on his bed, letting his mind go blank.

* * *

Zatanna was ready to go to sleep now. Eyes falling shut after reading a 'fascinating' book about the history and secrets of magical moss. She placed the book on her bedside table and reached up to switch her light off when her eyes landed on a picture frame.

It sat so innocently there. It showed the picture of a smiling young Zatanna with her two proud parents. The magician smiled a sad smile at it. As she switched of the light she kept her eyes on the picture as she settled down into her bed, resting her head on her numerous pillows.

She accounted the water building up in her eyes to tiredness and not to loneliness of having no parents, the frustration of not being able to save her father, the sadness of losing all of her family. She turned over in her bed and buried her head into her pillow, now eager for the peacefulness sleep brought with it.

* * *

"So you're saying I couldn't have seduced him" Artemis said from the bathroom.

Wally was sprawled out across the bed in only his boxes wondering why they hell they were back at this argument. "You said you didn't want to seduce him!" he exclaimed exasperated. There was no winning with this fiend.

Artemis exited from the bathroom, still running a hair brush through her thick hair. "I said I didn't want to, you're the only how said I couldn't".

"What does it even matter?" Wally huffed sitting back up to look at the blonde, "You have me."

Artemis rolled her eyes, "Yeah, an idiot that I call boyfriend."

Wally sprung up from his position and grabbed her by the waist. Pulling her down so she was sitting on the bed with him. He placed a kiss on the side of her head, "A boyfriend you seduced" he teased.

Artemis rolled her eyes but it was slightly counteracted by the small smile on her face. "That was my first mistake" she replied lightly.

"Not your last though" Wally said as he nuzzled into her thick mane of hair and Artemis couldn't resist any more and kissed him. When they broke apart Wally let out his trade mark grin, "Love you" he said while exaggerating each syllable.

"You're still an idiot."

"Still your idiot" he replied.

* * *

Kaldur was thankful when he finally closed his bedroom door and he was left in silence. He leaned back against the door and let out a sigh. The adrenaline from the night now making him feel shaky. He was glad to finally be left alone in his room, a place of security that calmed his exposed nerves.

However now that there wasn't any loud noises, distractions or people surround him he realised his ears were ringing form the loud music in the club and he felt dehydrated from the alcohol he had drunk. He made his way to his bathroom, stripping out of his clothes as he turned his shower on to its coldest setting.

He stepped in and immediately felt his muscles relax. Too bad his mind did not follow. Now left alone with only falling water as a distraction, Tula's face kept on appearing in his mind, her voice a distant sound he could hear from past memories.

He bowed his head and tried to ignore the single tear that strayed away. He tried to just focus on the pounding water hitting his skin and smoothing over his gills.

Once his skin felt suitably softer he escaped from the bathroom and threw on a pair of tracksuit bottoms and collapsed on his bed. He fidgeted for a while trying to find a comfy position but when he realised that wasn't going to happen he forced himself still. He stayed like that for an hour but sleep never came. He committed for another half an hour before giving up. His mind wouldn't let him rest when the memory of Tula kept on plaguing him. The memory of Tula's… he stopped himself thinking about it and decided he needed to do something.

So he settled himself at his desk and turned his mind to problems he could solve. Like finding the answers to the questions the evening had proposed.

* * *

The next day, everyone came out of their rooms with varying degrees of success. None really communicating to each other yet as they grabbed their morning drinks and foods. All begrudgingly used to being up this early in the morning in the hope of getting food before Wally woke up.

They all sat and slumped on different furniture with the exception of Kaldur and Wally who hadn't appeared yet.

Once Zatanna finished her cereal she felt a bit better and decided to break the silence, "So who was tall, dark and handsome last night?"

Everyone threw her a look, "Who? The guy in the grey shirt?" Megan asked.

Zatanna shook her head, "No… I mean yeah who was that guy too but who was the other one. The one in blue?" She waited for someone to respond but nothing came her way. Zatanna wasn't really expecting an answer but she thought it would at least stimulate a conversation. Apparently not if the awkward silence indicated anything.

It was times like these Zatanna couldn't help but think she was missing something. As if everyone else was excepting someone else to speak and break the silent spell the others often fell under. What she didn't now it was at times like when everyone else felt the phantom presence of their old friend.

Artemis not liking that obvious absence, even after all these years spoke up, "Well, what do we know?" Over the years Artemis had stepped up to try and lead the conversations a bit more, try and think of logical questions that would help the others and more importantly help Kaldur to gather the facts and come up with a plan of action.

"Well, he was trained" Zatanna said, "It seemed like he didn't need us there at all. He was a good fighter from the brief display I saw".

"That means he could handle himself in a fight not necessarily trained" Artemis added her own thoughts on the matter.

Zatanna shook her head. "No way do you get that good on natural talent alone. Plus it makes sense if he was trained that was how he saw the same signs as us and realised the guy in grey was in danger."

Artemis nodded taking this in consideration, but no one had seen him beforehand so they couldn't know for certain.

"How do we know he was even a 'good' guy" Connor asked, that caught everyones attention, "We don't know who he was, why he was there, who the other guy was or why he took off instead of waiting for the police."

Zatanna hadn't thought about that. That the gorgeous man in blue with the matching blue eyes might have been a 'bad' guy instead of a rescuer to the potential kidnapping victim. But somehow that didn't sit right with Zatanna. "I think he was honesty trying to help and protect that guy."

"Well, thats a convincing argument" Megan said and Zatanna wondered what crawled up her ass this morning but decided to ignore her and continue on.

"And" Zatanna empathised, showing she wasn't done talking, "the other guy seemed to trust him. He had plenty of chances to run but he didn't. He even put on a helmet and got on a bike. So either he knew him or he trusted him instinctively."

Megan and Zatanna glared at each other but Artemis butted in before anything could happen. "So, we have a supposedly good guy with dark hair, lean build, who can spot indicators for dangerous situations and can identify threatening people. Can handle himself in a fight and can ride a motor bike. Also either knew the potential victim or didn't but either way has a hero complex" she summed up.

"So all we know is that someone helped someone else. Great" Megan started and Artemis sighed realising it was going to be one of those days with Megan.

"Wait he was on a bike?" Connor asked again, ignoring the growing argument and directing his question to Zatanna.

"Yes," she replied not understanding what Connor was thinking.

"Then we might be able to track the bike and find out where it came from or went."

"That is what I did last night" a new voice was suddenly added to the group. Aqualad entered into the room and he looked tired. His eyes red from a night of staring at a computer screen. He sat on the couch as Zatanna whispered under her breath "puc of eeffoc ni sin sdnah" and a cup of steaming coffee appeared in his hands. He nodded his head in gratitude and took a sip, savouring the bitter taste on his tongue.

He drank almost half the cup before he begun again, "The bike has no registration or known number plate and the helmets obscured the faces of the riders too much be able to try facial recognition software however I do know where the bike was heading." He paused taking another sip of his coffee and rubbed his tired eyes. He would definitely be sleeping after this.

He was unaware that his pause had carried on for so long before he was interrupted by a cough. He looked up and realised that the sound came from Artemis, impatient for him to continue.

"He was heading to Bludhaven".

There was pause until Megan said, "Thats it?" Aqualad nodded. "Really thats all you got after a night of searching?"

Kaldur was very tempted to snap at Megan right now. He was feeling fragile and tired and in desperate need of a swim as his skin felt like it has pulled tightly over his bones. But instead he counted silently to three in his head and exhaled, a trick Connor had taught him

"I was lucky to get that. He avoided most cameras and I was lucky half the time to catch him when I did."

Megan slumped in her chair a little, "Still doesn't tell us anything."

"Actually I think it does." All eyes snapped to Artemis but she held up her finger and suddenly yelled, "WALLY!"

They all flinched away from the loud yell, but it was soon followed by an echoing yell of, "WHAT?" along with some bumps and curses. Eventually the hallway revealed a disgruntled red head, hair sticking up all over the place and hastily thrown on clothes, "What?" he said again, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"You were saying something about a new vigilante in Bludhaven recently, remember?" This caught the teams attention.

"Ummm… yeah why is that important?" Wally asked, leaning his hands on the back of the couch Artemis was on.

"What do you know about them?" Artemis pushed on ignoring Wally's question.

Wally rolled his eyes. "Not much, there hasn't been any pictures of him, half the police force don't think he's real, never takes any credit, only proof he's real is a few victims who claim were rescued by him."

Aqualad leaned forward. This was an interesting lead. "Anything else?" he promoted.

Wally scrunched his brow trying to rack up anything else that had been reported. Then he vaguely remembered something "Yeah he's called… The Winged Knight."

* * *

 _Sorry Dick you're superhero name isn't that well known yet;)_


End file.
